A tale of two idiots
by zookyyook
Summary: The Draco Harry story that has it all. Sex,love,betrayal,angst,some completely unnecessary het, and the prerequisite Blaise sex joke. This is my first fic and I welcome critisicm, constructive or other wise. Complete!
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One  
  
Now hatred is by far the longest pleasure,  
  
men love in haste, but they detest at leisure -Lord Byron  
  
Draco stood outside the door of the potions room, trying to catch his breath. He pressed into the wall until he could feel the stones digging an imprint into his back. The pain was a relief. It distracted him from the horrible pain in is side. He now had two pains and couldn't focus fully on either one. But soon the pain in his back faded, and all his attention was focused on the burning pain in his side.  
  
He had been standing outside of the potions room for the last five minutes, trying to get the pain under control. He couldn't let people see him like this. They would notice, then they would ask questions. He knew that he could fool most people, with his cold eyes and blank face, but not Snape. He rested his head against the cool wall of the dungeon.  
  
I can't do this. I have to go back to my room. I'll just tell him I was sick. I just need to rest for a few hours, then I'll be fine. He stood up slowly, pausing a moment, to draw in a shaky breath.  
  
At the same moment, Harry, Hermione and Ron, were hurrying on their way to potions. They knew that if they were late, Snape would probably take a lot of points, he really disliked them. Harry rushed around the corner, just slightly ahead of the other two, and ran straight into Draco.  
  
With a hiss of pain Draco stepped back, cradling a hand to his ribs.  
  
Harry being the Boy Who Lived to Be Absurdly Courteous, was about to apologize--even though it was Malfoy--when Ron spoke.  
  
"Bloody hell Malfoy, we all know your only pleasure in life is to be a pain in Harry's arse, but waiting around corners to run into him is a little much." Ron smiled, looking proud that he had said something more articulate to Malfoy, than his usuall, shut up you bloody git.  
  
But not even the shock of that could tear Draco's gaze from Harry's. Draco couldn't believe that Harry Potter had just run into him. Harry Potter, whose very existence made his miserable. And now the git had the nerve to run into him. I just can't get away from him. He's everywhere.  
  
Draco walked up to Harry, until their faces were inches apart. Close enough that Harry could smell the intoxicating scent of his cologne. Wait a minute, am I sniffing Malfoy? Before Harry had a chance to properly examine that thought, Draco spoke in a low voice.  
  
"I hate you," he said as he pushed Harry against the wall, his vice like grip making Harry wince. "Why won't you just die?" At that moment he wanted nothing more in the world.  
  
That snapped Harry out of whatever spell he was under, and since his upper arms were held firmly against the wall, he grabbed around Draco's waist, preparing to push him away.  
  
The second Harry touched him, he drew in a sharp breath. He saw Harry's puzzled expression through the net of white spots that were starting to cloud his vision. As the burning pain shot through his body, he managed to spit out, "Damn you, Potter," before passing out.  
  
Draco slumped forward against Harry in a tangle of awkward limbs. Harry had caught him under the arms, and Draco's bony chin was now resting against his collarbone.  
  
Harry stood there for a moment, not sure what to do. But it was either pick him up or let him fall, and being the aforementioned boy who ECT. , the choice was obvious. As he swept his arm under Draco's legs and lifted him, he was surprised at how light he was. His arms ached where Draco had held them, he wouldn't be surprised if there were bruises tomorrow.  
  
Ron and Hermione watched him in shock, but it was nothing compared to the commotion caused when he walked into Potions, with Draco in his arms.   
  
At the sound of gasps from Slytherins and Gryffindors, Professor Snape looked up from the homework he'd been grading.  
  
When he saw Harry holding an obviously unconscious Draco, he saw red. Draco was his favorite student and he despised Potter. He always got away with everything. Well he won't get away with this, Snape thought as he stalked quickly to their side, I'll make sure of it.  
  
"What have you done to him Potter?" he said through gritted teeth. "I swear I'll see you expelled for this."  
  
"I didn't do anything Professor." He backed up a little as he said this, bumping into Ron and Hermione, who were just inside the door behind him, he'd never seen Snape this angry before. "He slammed me against the wall, so I pushed him away, and he..he fainted," Harry finished lamely. It didn't sound very believable, even to him, and he'd been there.  
  
Snape looked down at him in disgust. Did Potter really think he was that stupid? He could at least have made up a better story. This one was just pathetically unbelievable. "You expect me to believe, that Mr. Malfoy fainted, merely because you..pushed him? I can see how you'd think I would believe such a pitifully obvious lie, considering the other teachers would believe any word the great boy who lived condescends to say to them." He leaned forward, his voice dropping. "But unfortunately for you, I'm not a member of your fan club. I'll see that you're punished for this, if it's the last thing I do."  
  
Harry just looked at him speechless. He'd never seen Snape this angry before. Ron chose that unfortunate moment to speak up, Hermione having been unsuccessful in her attempts to restrain him.  
  
"But he's not lying Professor, Hermione and me both saw everything."  
  
Snape turned slowly toward Ron. "I don't think I asked for your opinion Weasley, ten points."   
  
"But . . . ," Ron sputtered indignantly.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Weasley? Did you have something to add?"  
  
"No Professor," he said through gritted teeth, realizing a little late that he could only make things worse.  
  
Snape's attention snapped back to Harry. "Mr. Potter, you come with me, class do the assignment on the board."  
  
He swept out of the classroom, and with a helpless glance at Hermione and Ron, Harry followed after him.  
  
After a few minutes of stony silence, Harry heard a noise and looked down at Draco   
  
Draco slowly blinked open his eyes. He looked at Harry for a moment, wondering how he'd come to be cradled in his arms, but the pain came back and he could barely think. All he knew was that he was in pain, and it was Harry's fault. It was always Harry's fault. "You will be the death of me Potter," he said drawing in his breath sharply.  
  
Professor Snape turned quickly around, coming to their side, and looking down at Draco with concern.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, are you all right?"  
  
Draco's only answer was another gasp of pain.  
  
Snape narrowed his eye's and said a spell that Harry had never heard. A purplish light appeared above Draco's ribs. Snape's gaze angrily met Harry's. "Just a little push, Potter? Is that right? I'd hate to see what you consider a real push, since this 'little one' broke his ribs."  
  
"But I didn't Professor, I swear," he said, but Snape ignored him, saying a pain relieving spell that Harry remembered from his many trips to the hospital wing. But nothing happened, Draco continued to cry out in pain. A look of horrible realization dawned on Snape's face. He quickly pointed his wand at Draco, saying Mobulius corpus. Harry let go as Draco's body floated in the air. Draco's cries of pain slowly subsided as the pressure from his ribs was removed.  
  
"Mr. Potter," Snape started to say, but Harry cut him off.  
  
" Professor, I swear I didn't break his ribs, I barely touched him."  
  
"I know," he said softly, "you don't have the knowledge to do this spell. Even if you did, you wouldn't be cruel enough to use it."  
  
"What spell?" he asked tentatively, relieved that Snape believed him, but curious as to what the spell could be.  
  
Snape's head snapped up and he said in a sharp tone, "None of your business, Mr. Potter. Return to class. I will take Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing."  
  
Harry started to protest, but stopped himself, being just a little smarter than Ron.  
  
As he took his seat in Potions, he shook his head when Hermione asked him what happened. He sat staring off into space, a cold feeling in his chest. He thought of the expression on Malfoy's face when he'd whispered. You will be the death of me. Somehow, Harry thought he meant it.   
  
It took all the restraint Harry had to wait until the end of the day. He wanted to find out about the spell Malfoy had on him. He told Hermione and Ron what Snape had said, and they were as baffled as him as to what the spell could be. Harry didn't tell them about what Draco had said, and he certainly didn't tell them about the sniffing.  
  
He waited until everyone in his room was asleep, before sneaking down to the infirmary, under the cover of his invisibility cloak. Just as he entered, he heard a voice off to his right, and went to investigate.   
  
"Headmaster," Snape said in an aggravated tone, "with all due respect, I've only seen Voldemort and deatheaters use that spell. It's very obvious it was Lucius who did it. I doubt that Voldemort made a house call just to break the boy's ribs and spell them so they couldn't be healed magically."  
  
Harry felt the first stirrings of pity for Draco, and a little bit of understanding.  
  
"I know Severus, but we cannot help the boy until he asks, and you know as well as I how likely that is."  
  
"We can't just send him home to be beaten. I won't allow it," Snape spits out.  
  
For the first time in his life, Harry started to like Snape.  
  
"Then you must convince him to ask for help. You are the one person he might listen to," Dumbeldore said with a sigh.  
  
Snape swept out of the room, and Harry narrowly escaped being swept up with him. He stalked over toward a bed on the opposite side of the wing. Harry followed behind him quietly. Snape's face was fierce as he whispered to the boy lying in the bed. "I will make you listen. I will." Then, with one last look, filled with some indescribable emotion, he turned and left.  
  
Harry turned back to the bed, looking at his enemy, the boy who had made his friends and his life miserable for six years. He thought of all the rotten things that Malfoy had done to him over the years, and all he'd done in turn. He had used to think that he hated Malfoy, but really it was only strong dislike. When he'd truly felt hatred for the first time, he'd realized that what he felt for Malfoy paled in comparison. And as much as he still disliked him, it was tempered somewhat now, by pity.  
  
He saw that Malfoy had turned over in bed, his knuckles white as he clenched the edge of his pillow. Harry heard him whispering. When he heard what he was saying, he assumed he was talking about his father, but when he added a name to his feverish mantra, Harry's blood ran cold. "I hate you. I hate you Potter."  
  
That night Harry tossed and turned in his bed. Those words kept running through his head. How could Malfoy's hatred for him be more than for his father? Harry wasn't the one beating him. He'd never done anything to him to merit that kind of loathing.  
  
How could Malfoy hate him, when he didn't hate Malfoy? Of the two he felt he had more cause to hate Draco. What had he done to make Malfoy hate him so much? That question lay heavily on his thoughts all night. He finally resolved that he would find out. With that thought he slipped off to sleep. Tomorrow he would know. 


	2. Chapter two

CHAPTER TWO  
  
Although I know he loves me, tonight my heart is sad, his kiss was not so wonderful, as all the dreams I'd had.- Sara Teasdale  
  
The next day everyone was talking about how Harry Potter had walked into Potions, holding Draco Malfoy in his arms. The reasons for this varied wildly. Some thought that they had dueled and Harry had rendered Malfoy unconscious, then lied about him fainting. I mean, Draco Malfoy, Fainting? It didn't seem very likely. This camp was composed almost entirely of Slytherins.  
  
The rest of the school seemed to take Harry's word that Draco had fainted. The reason for this was a widely debated matter. Some thought that Harry had kissed him and Draco had fainted from shock. Harry had come out in fifth year, although none of the people he'd kissed had fainted. Those who believed this story all agreed that Harry had merely done it to annoy him. He couldn't possibly be attracted to him. This was Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. The thought of Harry liking him was more unbelievable than Draco fainting from the shock of being kissed. Everyone else seemed to think that he'd been doing a lot of dark magic over the summer and was drained of energy. The truth never crossed people's minds.  
  
At dinner, Seamus Finnigan asked him if he really had kissed Draco. Harry told him and those avidly listening, that he hadn't, Draco had really just fainted. But Harry did blush at the thought of kissing Draco. All this talk had him thinking about the Slytherin in a new and uncomfortable way.  
  
Seamus noticed Harry blush, and frowned. Seamus and Harry had been seeing each other since last year, and had written to each other over the summer. Harry thought that Seamus was his boyfriend, he'd never had one before, so he wasn't sure. All he knew was that he wasn't seeing anyone else and neither had Seamus. Harry had never thought about seeing anyone else. Seamus was the only one he'd wanted to see. Not that he was thinking about it now. He certainly wasn't thinking about Malfoy. Malfoy hated him. Remembering his resolution the night before, he excused himself.  
  
As he approached the hospital wing, he hesitated. What exactly was he going to say? Hey Malfoy, how are the ribs? By the way why do you utterly loathe and despise me? He sighed, laying his head against the hospital door. Summoning up all his Gryffindor courage, he pushed open the door, and ran straight into Draco. Harry stepped back, his resolve weakening when faced with reality.  
  
"Potter. You are really starting to annoy me with this running into me shit."  
  
Suddenly his resolve came rushing back. " Maybe you're the one running into me, Malfoy."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes and went to pass him, but Harry stopped him with a hand on his arm.  
  
Draco turned to him and said in a flat tone, "Potters take your hands off me. Now."  
  
"Look Malfoy, I just want to ask you a question and then I promise to leave you alone."  
  
"A question. You want to ask me a question? Of course you do." With a low chuckle he leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. " Well my world does revolve around you, doesn't it? So ask me then."  
  
Harry faltered a moment, surprised by Malfoy's easy acquiescence. He recovered shortly however, asking quickly, before he lost his nerve. "Malfoy what did you mean when you said, I'd be the death of you? And why do you hate me so much?"  
  
Draco's face went blank and he straightened very slowly.   
  
He stepped toward Harry, and Harry stepped back, until he had him pressed against the door.  
  
"I hate you Potter," he said furiously, "because my father preformed crucio on me for the first time, when I was eleven, and I came home for Christmas break telling him how you'd refused my friendship. I hate you, because every time I lose a quidditch match to you, I'm in pain for a week afterward. I hate you, because you've ruined my life and been blissfully ignorant of the fact, living in your sunshine world where nobody but Harry bleeding Potter matters. As for what I meant when I said you'd be the death of me, I'd think that would be obvious. The human body can only take so much abuse. If I go home, I don't know how much longer I'll last. I'm sure that the story of you carrying me in your arms has reached him. I doubt he'll find it funny. And if I don't go home, to the Malfoy's I'll be dead, and my whole way of life will be over. I hope that satisfies your curiosity," he said through gritted teeth. "Now get out of my way."  
  
Harry stepped aside and Draco brushed past him and out the door. He walked slowly back up to the tower, sinking into a chair near the fireplace. He sat gazing into the fire as thoughts whipped through his mind. Was he really that self centered? How had he never noticed that Malfoy had been in so much pain? There must have been signs. After every quidditch match...in pain for a week... crucio. Harry lay his head on his knees and tried to forget, to erase the words from his mind. He started as he felt a hand brush through his hair.  
  
"Harry," said a soft voice filled with concern. " What's wrong?"  
  
Harry looked down into startlingly blue eyes in a tan faced, framed by blondish brown hair. He looked into eyes that held no hate, no pain, just warmth and concern. He grasped the front of Seamus's robes, asking in a desperate voice, "How can you like me? How can you like someone so self centered? So completely wrapped up in his own pain, that he's blind to everyone else's. How?"  
  
Seamus pulled him down from the chair and into his arms, stroking Harry's head as it rested on his broad shoulder. "Harry you're the most noble and kind person I know. If anything I'd say you care too much. Who put this rubbish into your head?"  
  
Harry just shook his head, refusing to answer.  
  
Seamus slowly pushed him pack, until they were face to face. He took Harry's face into his hands. "I could never like someone that self centered, and I like you. I really like you," he said kissing him softly on the lips.  
  
Harry looked into his deep blue eyes, and he believed him. He just wanted to keep staring into those blue eyes until the warmth in them melted away the memory of the coldness of the gray ones. He wanted to forget.  
  
Harry leaned forward pressing their lips together and slowly sliding his tongue into Seamus's mouth. His hands went to Seamus's chest, tracing it lightly, before coming to rest at his waist. He gently pushed him back to the floor, leaning down on top of him. He inched his fingers under the bottom of Seamus's shirt, trailing his fingers lightly along the waist band of his trousers. He pressed soft wet kisses down the side of Seamus's neck, then brought their faces close. "I think we should go up to our room."   
  
Seamus's eyes widened. They'd been dating for months, but they'd never done anything but kiss. " Harry are you sure?"  
  
He leaned forward nibbling on Seamus's earlobe. "I'm sure," he whispered.  
  
They raced up to their room. Harry pushed Seamus onto the bed, giving him a searing kiss, before going to the door and saying a locking spell.  
  
Harry turned around and drew in a sharp breath. Seamus had apparently spent the time Harry had taken locking the door in a quite productive manner. He bit his lip as he raked his eyes over the naked body of the boy lying in his bed. But still Harry thought of Draco's words and the guilt had not left him. Determined not to think of it, he walked toward the bed, and forgot for a while.  
  
Harry woke to a loud pounding noise, and sat up quickly. The pounding was accompanied by shouts. Fearing something bad had happened, like an attack by Voldemort, Harry draped the sheet around his waist and hurried to the door; after all facing Voldemort was one thing, but facing him naked was quite another.   
  
He flung open the door to find Dean and Ron. "What's happened?" he asked quickly. "Has Voldemort attacked?"  
  
Both Dean and Ron rolled their eyes, pushing past him.  
  
"No Harry, we just wanted to get in to go to sleep, this is our room too, you know. Why did you lock the . . . " Ron trailed of, his mouth opening slightly.  
  
Harry followed his gaze and groaned. There was Seamus, laying in all his glory.   
  
He was trying to cover himself but Harry had the sheet. He settled for cupping his hands around himself.  
  
Harry blushed as both boys looked at him. It was very obvious they'd been doing something.  
  
"Harry the sheet," Seamus spit out.  
  
"Oh right, sorry," he said as he rushed back to the bed to cover them both. They both looked up at the boys standing slack jawed, staring at them. "Um.. Do you think you could give us a minute?"  
  
"Um, right. Sorry about that mate. We'll just go and you to can... we'll just go," he said taking Dean's arm, who was standing there an odd look on his face.  
  
Once they'd left, Harry turned smiling to Seamus. "You wouldn't think they'd be that shocked. I mean, we've been seeing each other for months."  
  
"Well, I can understand. I mean, we've never really even kissed in front of them before. At least not a proper kiss. For them to see us in the altogether, must have been, altogether rather shocking," he said with a grin.  
  
"Well we should probably get dressed and go down to the common room, make sure they haven't died of shock."   
  
Seamus nodded and both boys got up starting to get dressed. "Harry, that was, well you were amazing," Seamus stammered.  
  
"So were you," Harry said smiling, but Draco still haunted his thoughts. 


	3. Chapter three

Chapter Three  
  
I am as free as nature first made man, Ere the base laws of servitude began, When wild in woods the noble savage ran.   
  
- John Dryden-  
  
The next day, word was all over the school, that Seamus and Harry were shagging like rabbits. The rumor was that Ron and Dean had walked in on them in the middle of some kinky sex act. What this was, ranged from high heels and wigs, to whips and chains, and oddly enough something involving rabbits.  
  
Harry couldn't help the faint blush that rushed to his cheeks, as he entered the great hall and all eyes turned to him. He hurried to his table, sitting down beside Ron.  
  
"Listen mate," Ron said, turning toward him, "I didn't start any of these crazy rumors. I just said that no one should go up to the room because you were busy. People just assumed things, and started making up crazy stories, and well, I'm sorry." He looked morosely down at his plate.  
  
"That's okay Ron," Harry said smiling. "I don't mind. Actually it's nice to be talked about over something not related to being the boy who lived. This is so normal." He looked up as Seamus slid into the seat across from him, smiling at the twinkle in the other boy's eye.  
  
"Harry first off I have to say that last night was amazing. At first I was a little wary when you brought in the rabbits, but now I can't imagine sex without them," he said with a big grin.  
  
There was a moment of shocked silence, before everyone within hearing distance burst out laughing.  
  
Harry started to chuckle, but stopped as Seamus leaned over to talk to Dean and his eyes met Draco's. Those eyes had haunted his dreams, and the hate in them had not diminished. Harry lifted his chin and gave Malfoy a hard stare in return, He refused to feel guilty about something that wasn't his fault.  
  
Draco sat staring at the Gryffindor table as they laughed, hating Potter for being happy when he was so miserable. Hating Seamus Fucking Finnegan for making Potter happy. When he had heard the rumors this morning, he hadn't really believed them. He knew that the Hogwarts rumor mill was scarcely ever accurate. But when Potter had walked into the room, and he had seen that rush of color to his face, he'd known. He caught Potter's gaze and felt the old familiar hatred starting to stir.  
  
No, he thought, tearing his gaze away from Harry's, this is stupid. He was free of his father, and he no longer had any reason to hate Potter. Last night he and Snape had talked, and he'd decided to file for emancipation. He was old enough at seventeen. Draco had worried that his father would fight it in the courts, but Snape had assured him he wouldn't. He said that his father wouldn't risk the humiliation of airing his private affairs in public. Still, Draco knew his father, and he had no doubt that he'd find a way to make Draco pay.  
  
But he can't control me anymore, Draco thought, turning his eyes back to Harry. He didn't have to hate Potter anymore, because Potter could no longer cause him pain. He could do anything he wanted. He could stand on the table and yell that he loved Gryffindor. He didn't of course, he thought the lot of them were stupid self-important gits, but that wasn't the point. He could do anything he wanted, without fear of reprisal. Anything at all. He smiled, a real smile. Watch out Hogwarts, he thought, you're about to experience the real Draco Malfoy.  
  
Later that night he sat on his bed, making a list of things to do. First things first, he wanted to get back at his father. He wanted to make him boil with impotent rage. Now what would piss him off the most, he thought, idly tapping his quill against his lip. His mouth twisted into a sadistic little smile, and he wrote down on the paper, Number One.  
  
Harry sat at breakfast the next morning staring into his orange juice and thinking about his classes for the day. He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of Ron's voice.   
  
"Malfoy what the hell are you doing over here!"  
  
Harry looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing at the end of the table, a friendly smile on his face. That sent warning bells off in Harry's head. Friendly was a word never associated with Malfoy, therefore, he must be up to something.  
  
"Hello there Weasley, just stopped by to have a little chat with Hermione," he said with a smile like a girl scout trying to sell you cookies. You know the one. You know that the cookies are expensive and you don't even have a clue what the girl scouts do. They could be being cultivated as a secret army of government spies for the future for all you know, but you buy the cookies anyway, because they are just so damn cute. It was with the same kind of bewildered acceptance that the Gryffindors looked at him now.   
  
Hermione shook herself out of the momentary shock of seeing a smile not a smirk on Malfoy's face. "What do you want Malfoy?" she said with a sigh, prepared, for the worst.   
  
"Well I'd just like to say that I admire you. I mean you're the smartest student in the year and you have definitely made me smarter. I always worked extra hard to try and get better grades than you. I thought that as a muggleborn, you certainly were inferior to someone of such pure blood as me. But you've made me realize that blood doesn't matter one bit, that muggleborn's are equal to purebloods any day."  
  
"Now Harry," he said turning toward him, as the rest of the table looked on in shock. "I just wanted to say that I think that it's positively embarrassing how many time's you have managed to escape the dark lord's clutches. You are just a testament to the fact that he is weak and will be brought down soon enough. I'll be rooting for you. Voldemort really is a crazy psychopath and I'll be the first to dance on his grave, after you have put him in it. "  
  
"Then there's Weasley," he said turning toward Ron. "Your father is really a great asset to the ministry and you...well, you're still a stupid git," he finished with a smirk. "Well I must be going now, it was lovely chatting with you all, have a nice day." He turned and walked out of the doors with a smile.  
  
After approximately one minute of shocked silence from the entire room, he'd spoken loud enough for everyone to hear him, everyone burst out into shocked whispers.  
  
"He's possessed," Ron said, "it's the only explanation."  
  
"Ron, it is not the only explanation. Maybe he's finally realized what a stupid arse he's been all these years, even assholes can have epiphanies. Besides it could be Imperious or Polyjuice or any number of things," Hermione said in a matter of fact voice.  
  
"What do you think Harry?" Seamus said turning toward Harry's seat. But Harry wasn't there. He'd left the hall, and in all the excitement no one had noticed.  
  
"Malfoy," Harry yelled as he rounded the corner and saw the blond halfway up the stairs.   
  
Draco slowly turned, his hand resting lightly on the railing, a small smirk on his face. "Was there something I could do for you Potter?"  
  
Harry ran up the stairs until they were face to face. "What the hell do you think your playing at Malfoy? And what's with the Potter. You called me Harry in the lunch room."  
  
"Yes well it was all for effect really, much more shocking that way, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"I would say that I don't know what the hell your talking about and you had better tell me what your up to RIGHT NOW," Harry yelled, his fingers clenched in Malfoy's robes, their faces inches apart  
  
At this, the amiable expression on Draco's face vanished, he grabbed Harry's wrists, slamming the other boy against the railing. "I don't have to tell you anything Potter, and if you ever put your hands on me again, it will be your grave I'll dance on. Do you understand me?"  
  
"I'm not afraid of you Malfoy," he hissed. Not in parseltounge, that would be silly.  
  
Draco sighed and the fight went out of him. It was just so easy to slip back into these old roles. "Of course you're not. You're the boy who lived, and you're unbeatable. Why would you be afraid of anything? Be careful that you don't buy into your own hype Potter. Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney sweepers come to dust, even you the most golden of them all," he said with a sigh and a wistful expression on his face. "As to your question well I fear no more the frown of the great, I am past the tyrants stroke. It's a wonderful kind of freedom. For Merlin's sake I'm even reading muggle literature," he said with a little chuckle. "Look Potter I don't want to fight with you anymore. I'll leave you and your friends alone and you can forget I exist. Because finally, finally I can forget you exist," he said turning and walking up the stairs.  
  
Harry just stood there, his guts twisting. He should be happy, he finally had what he always wanted, Malfoy was out of his life. But those words echoed in his head, leaving him with a horrible sense of loss. Finally I can forget you exist. 


	4. Chapter four

Chapter Four  
  
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.-Alan Cohen  
  
It had been a week, and the school still wasn't used to the new Draco Malfoy. Every other day he did something completely shocking. But the most shocking thing happened the day before the first quidditch game of the year, between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Draco Malfoy walked into the room and stood in front of the four tables, they were pretty much packed, which was unusual. Most students slept through breakfast but lately everyone was getting up early so they wouldn't miss any of Malfoy's early morning antics. Malfoy waited until everyone's attention was focused on him and then he spoke. "Ladies gentlemen and undecided. I am making an announcement today that will probably break the hearts of at least half of the students and some of the teacher's no doubt," he said with a wink.  
  
Harry's heart skipped a beat. It was well known that Draco Malfoy had never really had a real relationship with any girl. Everyone speculated on whom it would be that finally captured his heart. For some reason Harry felt a pain in his chest and he listened with dread for Draco's next words. He took a drink of his pumpkin juice to calm himself down just as Draco spoke.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint all of you ladies but ..I'm gay." Harry spit out his pumpkin juice sitting with his mouth open in shock. Fortunately others had reacted in much more attention getting ways and Harry's reaction went unnoticed; by all but Draco Malfoy, who merely raised an eyebrow and gave his trademark smirk. His announcement was followed by loud gasps and an amazing lack of girls fainting or breaking into tears. But the most shocking part was yet to come. Draco turned, walking slowly over to the Gryffindor table. Harry's breath hitched as Draco stopped right across from him. Draco looked into his eyes for a moment then turned them toward the boy sitting right in front of him.  
  
"Dean, I was wondering if maybe you would like to come to Hogsmede with me this weekend," he asked, smiling down at the other boy.  
  
The whole room watched in silent shock. Not only was Dean a Gryffindor, but he was also a muggleborn, and to the best of everyone's knowledge,  
  
straight. Dean looked up at him incapable of speech for a moment and then much to the surprise of everyone, himself included, said, "I'd love to."  
  
"Great," Draco said with a smile. "I'll owl you with a time and a place to meet."  
  
He turned, walked over to his table, sat down and started to eat, as if his coming out was an everyday thing and nothing to get exited about. Seamus was the first to speak, he and Dean were best friends.  
  
"Dean..how could you not tell me that you were gay?" he asked his voice filled with hurt.  
  
Dean looked properly abashed. "I'm sorry mate, I just wasn't ready to tell anyone, but it feels really good that the secret's out. I don't know how Malfoy knew though, he must have seen me checking him out," he said looking down at the table in embarrassment.  
  
"More likely he just thought that gay or straight no one could resist him," Ron said with a snort. "Bloody hell, I'm the only straight one left in our room. I'll hardly be able to get dressed anymore, without one of you blokes leering at me," he said with a grin. They all chuckled and went back to eating. "But Dean," Ron said his spoon halfway to his mouth and a look of disgust on his face, "Malfoy? I mean come on really?"  
  
Dean laughed and then looked over his shoulder at Draco. He sighed and turned back a smile on his face. "Really. I know you're just about the straightest person there is, but you have got to admit that he is one sexy bastard."  
  
"I have to admit no such thing," Ron said with a sniff. "Although you got the bastard part right."  
  
The quidditch game was greatly anticipated as there were rumors that Draco Malfoy had not practiced once with his team all year. The game started, and as usual, Hermione's eyes sought out Harry. She really thought it was a rather boring sport but being the faithful friend that she was, she always came to show her support. A slight frown marred her face as she saw Harry fly over by Malfoy and speak to him. Now usually it was Malfoy who flew over and insulted Harry a few times, before flying off, leaving Harry seething. Harry had never before initiated conversation with Malfoy during quidditch. Hermione wondered what on earth he could be saying.  
  
Harry watched Draco, as Draco looked for the snitch. It had been a whole week since Draco had talked to him. He hadn't been insulted in seven days. Every time Draco came near him, he would just walk right on past like he didn't even see him, and it was pissing Harry off. Without thinking about why he wanted Draco to talk to him so badly, Harry decided that he would make Draco talk to him.  
  
Draco sat scanning the field for the snitch a small smile on his face. It was so freeing to be able to play quidditch just for the fun of it. He didn't have to worry about what his father would say or do if he lost. As Draco scanned the field, he saw Harry coming toward him. He wondered briefly what he could want, but remembering his earlier  
  
Resolution to ignore him, he turned away.  
  
Harry flew over to where Malfoy floated his eyes scanning the field for that little blur of gold. "Hey Malfoy, I just wanted to wish you a good game," he said as he drew within a few feet of Draco. Draco ignored him and continued to look for the snitch. Harry his patience long run out, flew right up to within inches of his face and yelled, "Malfoy, I'm talking to you."  
  
Draco sighed and turned to look at him, "Really Potter I thought we had an agreement, you stay away from me I stay away from you. I deliberately chose simple, easy to understand words so you couldn't possibly misunderstand, but apparently I underestimated just how dense you are."  
  
Harry smiled, this is more like it he thought.   
  
Draco frowned when Harry smiled.  
  
"What makes you think you can tell me what to do, I'll talk to you if I want to talk to you. I've never done anything you told me to before and I'm sure not going to change that now just because you've gone and got yourself a personality."  
  
"Look Potter, I just assumed that you wouldn't want to talk to me. Why do you all of a sudden want to talk to me?" He paused, and a small smirk came across his face as he leaned in close to Harry. " Maybe it's my little announcement yesterday, thinking you might have a chance with me," he whispered in Harry's ear as he lightly stroked his hand from Harry's knee to the top of his thigh. He leaned even closer as Harry's breath sped up, when he spoke his lips touched the edge of Harry's ear. "Because you don't have a chance in hell Potter," he said with a chuckle. Harry shoved him so violently that he almost knocked them both of their brooms.  
  
"Fuck you Malfoy," he said his voice full of venom. "I'm going to beat you like I always beat you. When I'm holding the snitch and your stuck holding your dick like usual, we'll see if you think everything's so fucking funny then."  
  
Draco smirked. "You are really focusing a lot on what's going on in my pants aren't you Potter? "  
  
Harry just gave him a look of utter loathing and flew off to the other side of the field.   
  
The game was brutal almost everyone had been hit by a bludger at least once but luckily there were no injuries that prevented anyone from playing. The score was close, with Gryffindors leading by a mere ten points, the snitch had yet to be sighted by either seeker. It was remarked upon later by the players on the field how strangely Malfoy had acted the entire game. Instead of his usual, serious as a heartache demeanor, he seemed for lack of a better word, to be enjoying himself. Draco was chatting with the Gryffindor keeper when his eye caught the snitch for the first time in the game.  
  
"Lovely day, isn't it Finnegan? It's really been an exiting game, don't you think?" he said his eyes never stopping their search for the snitch.  
  
"Look I know what your trying to do and you won't distract me that easily."  
  
"Me, try to distract a fellow quidditch player? Why I would never do anything so unsportsmanlike," he said with a small smile.  
  
"Yeah right Malfoy, you coined the phrase."  
  
"Yes, well, that might be true, but I make up for it with my incredible charm."  
  
Seamus just snorted.  
  
"What you don't think I have charm? Well I assure you I do. I plan on using it in Hogsmede this weekend to lure your delectable friend Dean up to the room I've rented. There's nothing better than a virgin."  
  
"You little.. If you lay a hand on him . . . " Seamus sputtered with rage.  
  
"Oh I plan on laying a great deal more than that on him."  
  
Seamus lunged at him but Draco flew a few feet away. Seamus couldn't follow because he had to guard the hoop against Slytherin scoring.  
  
Draco laughed as he watched Seamus seething with anger. "Oh I almost forgot, tell your little boyfriend that talking about my dick is not proper quidditch conversation, no matter how much he wants it."  
  
Seamus let out a string of curses and swore that he would get Malfoy after the game. Draco just laughed, he started to say something but stopped when his eye was caught by a little twinkle of gold in the middle of the field. He smiled and took off after it at full speed.  
  
Harry had also spotted it at almost the same time and they both sped toward it from opposite ends of the field. They were both heading straight toward each other and neither one looked like they were going to put a stop to this little game of chicken. They both reached out, but one pair of fingers just barely beat the other to the snitch. They crashed against each other, and fell in a tangle of limbs to the ground. Harry ended up on top of Malfoy and for a moment they were both too dazed too speak. Harry felt a sharp pain in his arm and tried to drag it out from under Malfoy. Draco just looked up at him obviously still dazed, and from the nasty bump forming on his head, it was no wonder. "Well Potter," he said with a silly grin, "looks like my hands are too full with the snitch, your going to have to hold my dick for me. You must think this is your lucky day."  
  
The mention of him holding Malfoy's dick when he was already lying on top of him, their bodies crushed together, was too much for Harry to resist, no matter how pissed he was. He felt an uncontrollable stirring in his pants and he groaned as he watched Draco's eyes grow wide in surprise. There was no way that he couldn't feel exactly how it was affecting Harry to be lying on top on him.  
  
"Potter," Draco said in a slightly dazed voice, "you should probably get off of me."  
  
"I can't, my arm's trapped under you, I think it's broken."  
  
Draco tried unsuccessfully to sit up, his wriggling movements pulling another moan from Harry. Draco stopped his movements and clutched his head in pain.  
  
"Didn't know you enjoyed quidditch quite that much, " Draco said with a grin.  
  
"Didn't know you did either," Harry said as he felt Draco's growing erection against his.  
  
"It must be because of the head injury," he said with a frown, daring Harry to contradict him.  
  
"Must be," Harry said deadpan. Harry couldn't restrain himself from grinding himself down onto Draco, the friction was delicious and both boys moaned. Before things could get any more interesting, they were interrupted as both teams flew down and ran up to them. The first to reach them was Blaise, the Slytherin keeper.  
  
"That was great Draco I can't believe you caught the snitch," he said his face lit up with a smile. He seemed to notice Harry for the first time. "What the hell do you think your doing? Get off him, you stupid git."  
  
Harry started to say that his arm was caught but just then, Blaise pulled on his broken arm, and letting out a little cry he promptly fainted.  
  
Draco frowned up at Blaise. "What the hell did you do that for?"  
  
Blaise eyes narrowed and he started to say something, but just then, everyone else arrived. There were a few scuffles as both teams tried to get to their seekers.  
  
"Enough," came the commanding voice of Professor Mcgonagall, as she strode through the teams kneeling down beside the boys. "Everyone return to your dorms. You may visit them both in the hospital wing later."   
  
There was some grumbling but both teams started back toward the school. Mcgonagall looked over at Blaise, "Everyone would include you also Mr.  
  
Zabini."   
  
He gave one last frowning look towards Draco and turned and followed the others. Draco turned his head slightly and inhaled the musky sweaty scent of the boy on top of him. He smiled. Then he frowned. Am I sniffing HARRY POTTER? With that thought, he felt a burst of pain in his head, and for the second time that year he fainted. 


	5. Chapter five

CHAPTER Five  
  
And after a long time   
  
the boy came back again.   
  
"I am sorry, Boy,"   
  
said the tree, "but I have nothing   
  
left to give you-   
  
My apples are gone.   
  
"My teeth are too weak   
  
for apples,"said the boy.   
  
"My branches are gone,"   
  
said the tree. you   
  
cannot swing on them-"   
  
I am too old to swing   
  
on branches," said the boy.   
  
You cannot climb-"   
  
I am too tired to climb,"said the boy.   
  
I am sorry,"sighed the tree.   
  
I wish that I could   
  
give you something...   
  
But I have nothing left. I am just   
  
an old stump. I am sorry..."   
  
"I don't need very much now,"   
  
said the boy,   
  
"just a quiet place to sit and rest.   
  
I am very tired."   
  
"Well said the tree straightening herself up   
  
as much as she could,  
  
"well, an old stump is good   
  
for sitting and resting.   
  
Come, Boy sit down.   
  
Sit down and rest."   
  
And the boy did.   
  
And the tree was happy.  
  
Shel Silverstein-The giving tree  
  
Harry woke to the sound of a soft voice, and the feel of someone stroking his hand. For one crazy moment he thought it was Draco. When he opened his eyes to find Seamus sitting by his bed, he felt ..disappointed. Which was immediately followed by guilt. He liked Seamus a lot. Whatever he felt for Draco was just physical attraction,  
  
there were no feelings involved, except maybe dislike. So why was he disappointed? As he looked up into Seamus's loving gaze he was determined to forget Draco Malfoy. He was attracted to Seamus too. Maybe not in the same burning almost painful way as he was to Draco, but at least he was in control, he never felt out of control around Seamus and there was a comfort in that. He smiled up at Seamus.  
  
"How are you feeling," Seamus asked as he leaned over to kiss Harry lightly on the lips.   
  
"Oh not to bad, but I bet you can make me feel better," he said with a grin pulling Seamus down on top of him and capturing his mouth with his. Madam Pomfrey had fixed his arm right away, but the healing drained him of his energy so he had to stay in the hospital overnight.  
  
"Happy to oblige," Seamus said a little breathlessly as he broke the kiss and started trailing light little kisses down Harry's neck. Harry let out a little moan just as the curtain was flung open.  
  
"Mr. Finnegan get off Mr. Potter and out of that bed this instant."  
  
Seamus jumped up and blushed. "Sorry Madam Pomfrey,"he said looking contrite.   
  
"Honestly the things you young kids get up to. Teenage hormones will be the death of me yet," she mumbled going over to the neighboring bed.   
  
Harry wanted to look away but he couldn't. He just wanted to see Draco, there was no harm in that surely?  
  
Draco woke to the sound of someone calling his name softly. He immediately knew it wasn't Harry and mentally kicked himself for the thought. Why should it be Potter and why should I care. He looked up into a pair of dark brown eyes.  
  
Dean looked at him uncertainly. "Can I come in," he said his hand resting lightly on the curtain.  
  
"Of course," Draco said with a little smile. Dean really was very handsome. Just what he needed to take his mind off Harry.  
  
"I just came by to see how you were and say congratulations on the game. Although I was hoping you'd lose, and we certainty intend to kick your buts next time," he said with an infectious grin.  
  
"Ah a back handed compliment, my favorite kind."  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Like shit honestly," Draco said his hand going to his head.  
  
"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? I could ask Madam Pomfrey for something for you or..." he was interrupted by a loud shout.  
  
"Mr. Finnegan get off Mr. Potter and out of this bed right now."  
  
Draco felt anger rising in him for no good reason that he could think of. He looked up at Dean and saw something like anger cross the other boys features.  
  
"You know," Draco said in a low voice, "I've always heard that if you kiss it it will make it better, how about we test the theory."  
  
Dean gave an evil little grin. "You read my mind," he said as he leaned over and pressed his lips to Draco's. Just then Draco felt a rush of air and heard a gasp as Madam Pomfrey flung open the curtain.  
  
"Merlin it must be catching. I hate to interrupt but I need to give Mr. Malfoy his medicine and it's a little hard to do when his mouth is otherwise occupied."  
  
Draco lazily broke the kiss and ran his hand slowly down the other boys side letting it fall to the bed. "Thanks I feel much better now."  
  
"Anytime," Dean said and they both looked over towards the other bed.  
  
The other boys had livid expressions on their faces that they were trying hard to control. Draco and Dean both looked at each other with satisfied smiles.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow in Hogsmede, I have a special surprise planned for you," he said to Dean but his eyes were on Seamus. He smiled as the other boy turned red with barely suppressed rage.  
  
"I can't wait," Dean said and with a wink he turned to walk out of the door.  
  
"Wait," Seamus said as Dean reached the door putting a hand on his arm, we need to talk. Seamus turned back to the bed. "Harry is it all right if I go, or do you want me to stay?"  
  
"No go ahead I'll see you tomorrow," Harry said as he pulled him down for a long goodbye kiss. "Just to hold you over," Harry said with a grin. Seamus grinned following Dean out of the door. Harry waited until Madam Pomfrey had given Draco his medicine and left the room.  
  
"What the hell do you think you were doing out on the field today?"  
  
"What was I doing?" Draco replied. "I was not in my right mind due to the Severe Fucking Head injury. What do you think you were doing? Obviously you couldn't resist the chance to take advantage of me when I couldn't defend myself."  
  
"Oh yeah sure Malfoy, I definitely remember that from Madam Pomfrey's medical emergency class. Common side effects of a head injury, dizziness, nausea, uncontrollable spontaneous erection."  
  
"Don't let it go to your head Potter, I had a young, sweaty, not completely repulsive male lying on top of me. It would have happened if any of the male players had fallen on me. So don't think that this means that I'm attracted to you, in case you've forgot since the last time I told you, I'll refresh your memory, I HATE YOU!"  
  
"I thought you didn't have any reason to hate me anymore. Isn't that what you said, that you could just forget that I exist," Harry said in a soft voice.  
  
Draco sighed and put a hand to his head. Harry was right, he obviously couldn't forget he existed. Harry had been a main force in Draco's life for the last six years.  
  
"Your right Potter, I don't hate you. Old habits die hard. I obviously can't forget you exist we have to much history. So what am I to do?" He asked in a defeated voice.  
  
"Well I know this is a radical notion but maybe we could be... friends." Harry looked over at Malfoy to see what his reaction to this might be.  
  
"Friends? You Harry Potter and me Draco Malfoy, friends? Well the shock value alone might be worth it," he said in a thoughtful voice.  
  
"There's always the side benefit that it will piss your father off," Harry added helpfully.  
  
"That's true, that's very true. That gives me a reason but what about you, what benefit could you get from our friendship?"  
  
"I don't know, I couldn't stand it when you weren't talking to me, I was dying for you to insult me. Isn't that funny," Harry asked with a self deprecating chuckle. "For some reason I just can't picture life without you. If it's not going to be as my enemy, than I guess it has to be as my friend. You've always been able to get to me when no one  
  
else could, because you know me. You have to know your enemy. I'm sure your father didn't neglect to teach you that."  
  
"No, he didn't," Draco said quietly.  
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes.  
  
"Well then," Draco said sitting up in bed, "I suppose we'll be friends, but whatever will we talk about. I can't think that we would have much in common, Potter.  
  
"Well you never know, and if were going to be friends you should probably call me Harry, Draco."  
  
Draco felt an odd thrill at hearing Harry say his name. Followed immediately by irritation. There was no reason to get excited over his own name. "All right... Harry, so lets see what we have in common. Well there's quidditch, but I suppose your a Chudley Cannons fan."  
  
"Actually I'm not. I don't have a particular team that I like. Although don't tell Ron because he would go ballistic."  
  
"I sincerely doubt that I will be telling Weasley anything."  
  
There was a minute of awkward silence.  
  
"Yeah of course not, sorry about that. But If were going to be friends you're going to have to lay off my other friends a little."  
  
Draco gave a little sigh."Well to be honest, I only ever insulted them because it was the best way to get to you. Now that that's no longer an issue, it really won't be that hard. Although I do find Weasley to be very irritating."  
  
"Well I think that the best we can hope for is a civil dislike from both of you. As long as your not fighting every two seconds it won't be to bad." Harry groaned, "How am I going to explain this to Ron, he's not going to be very happy."  
  
"That's the understatement of the year, face it, the boy has a temper."  
  
Harry chuckled. They sat in silence for a moment, Harry desperate for something to say, said the only thing he could think of at the moment.  
  
"What's your favorite food?" Harry asked  
  
Draco sat silently for a moment. What's my favorite food? What kind of question is that. But failing to think of a better one Draco answered. "Mashed potatoes and gravy."  
  
"Mashed potatoes and gravy," Harry exclaimed.  
  
"What's so shocking about that?" Draco asked with a small frown.  
  
"Well it's just, I don't know, I thought it would be filet mignon or something like that," Harry stuttered his face red.  
  
Draco chuckled. "While I do enjoy a good filet mignon, nothing beats the understated simplicity of mashed potatoes and gravy. What's your favorite food?"  
  
"Um.. I don't know, I like all food, I guess I'd have to say..biscuits and gravy."  
  
"Well look at that, we do have something in common, we both like gravy. Harry I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Draco said with a grin.  
  
Harry burst out laughing. "You like Casablanca, I think I'm going to die of shock. How would you ever even watch movies, I'd think your father wouldn't let you be exposed to anything from the muggle world."  
  
"Know your enemy and all that. He always said that movies were proof of how inferior and stupid muggles were. Which I agree, about ninety percent of them are, but I liked some of them, especially Casablanca. It's the only romantic movie that doesn't have a happy ending. I like my love stories full of angst, and Humphrey Boggart was very sexy," Draco said with raised eyebrows.  
  
"There was something about that I don't give a damn attitude that was really sexy," Harry said looking sideways at Draco. "Hey were both gay  
  
that's something we have in common." Now whatever possessed me to say that, Harry thought.  
  
"Indeed," was all Draco said. An uncomfortable silence followed.  
  
"So what's your favorite children's book," Harry asked desperate to change the subject.  
  
"What else The little prince, of course," Draco said with a smirk.  
  
"Why am I not surprised." Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"What's yours? The giving tree I suppose, you are really self sacrificing to the point of lunacy," Draco said in a teasing voice.  
  
Harry just blushed and looked away.  
  
Draco burst out laughing. "You can't be serious. That's really your favorite? Oh this has Daily Prophet front page written all over it. I can see it now. Harry Potter's famous, all consuming, supremely self sacrificing, altruistic personality, is not as previously thought a result of being the savior of the wizarding world. Inside sources reveal it's all the result of early exposure to..to badly moraled muggle children's literature."  
  
Harry couldn't help himself, Malfoy's laughter was infectious, it was impossible for him not to join in.  
  
Soon the laughter was interspersed with yawns and they looked at each other. "The medicine must be kicking in," Draco said sleepily.  
  
Harry's only answer was a yawn.  
  
Both boys went to sleep with smiles on their faces. 


	6. Chapter six

Chapter Six  
  
Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies.-Nietzsche  
  
Draco woke to the sound of a someone yelling "WHAT!"  
  
"Shh," said a quieter voice. "You'll wake him up."  
  
"I'll wake him...I don't bloody well care if I wake him up! The medication your on must be going to your brain!"  
  
"Don't be so melodramatic."  
  
"Melo..Melodramatic! I think I'm entitled," the voice said taking on an aggrieved tone. "I come up here to see how my best friend is doing, and he tells me without any kind of leadup. Hey mate I've decided to befriend our mutual worst enemy. And you expect me to take that calmly!" He said, voice rising considerably.  
  
"No of course I didn't. I expected you to be mad but eventually realize that your my friend and you shouldn't try and stop me from making other friends, no matter how much you dislike them."  
  
"No matter how much we dislike them. We Harry. We've disliked him since first year."  
  
"So we didn't like him when we first met him, that doesn't mean anything. We didn't like Hermione when we first met her either. Think what we would have missed if we hadn't gotten to know her better."  
  
"I can't talk about this anymore I'm leaving. I hope your arm feels better."  
  
"Ron...Wait! Shit!" There was a small silence and then a rustle of sheets.  
  
"So, uh, what do you think about this, you've been pretty quiet."  
  
"Well he has been behaving differently lately, but I don't know, he's still Malfoy. I don't think that I can just forget all the bad history between us, just like that."  
  
"You don't have to, I'm not asking you to be his friend, just accept that he's my friend. He promised to be civil to you and Ron. If he can do it then you should be able to."  
  
"But why Harry? Why do you all of a sudden want to be his friend?"  
  
"Because it's better than the alternative."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Not being anything to him."  
  
Draco drew in his breath sharply, hoping they hadn't heard him in the silence that followed Harry's statement.  
  
"Harry if you have a crush on him I understand, he's very attractive, but..."  
  
"No, it's not that it's.. there's always been something between us, it's like we were destined to be in each other's lives. I was drawn to him the first time I met him. It's not a sexual thing." At least not completely, he thought to himself. "It's more like I recognized him somehow. I can't really explain it but I can't imagine my life without  
  
him in it. Besides he's different now, he's no longer under the control of his father. We've never known the real Draco, we should at least give him a chance. You should make an effort to try to get to know how he really is."  
  
"Harry if you feel so strongly about it, I guess I can try. I'll talk to Ron."  
  
"Thanks, Hermione."  
  
"You get some rest, it's a Hogsmede weekend tomorrow you know."  
  
"I know," Harry said, an odd tone in his voice.  
  
Draco sat back in his bed and thought for a long time about what he'd heard.  
  
The next morning Harry made his way slowly up to his room. He was dreading the inevitable confrontation with Ron. But to his surprise he heard raised voices and saw that Ron wasn't even in the room.  
  
"He told me during the game that he rented a room. I don't think he means for you to two to sit and have a nice chat. All he wants from you is to get in your pants."  
  
"He was just trying to get you worked up and it obviously worked. So what if he just wants to get in my pants, maybe I just want to get in his pants. I don't see why you should care either way."  
  
"Of course I care, your my best friend, I don't want to see you hurt," Seamus said laying a hand on Dean's arm.  
  
"I know," Dean said in a soft voice staring deeply into Seamus's eyes.  
  
"Dean I...," Seamus started to say, but Harry cut him off.  
  
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Harry said sharply.  
  
Dean looked over at Harry, then back at Seamus. "No were finished. I'm sure you two want to be alone, so I'll go," he said as he started out of the room.  
  
"Wait Dean, there's something that I wanted to talk to the two of you about. You may want to sit down."  
  
Dean sat on the bed beside Seamus, he can't know can he, he thought, his stomach in knots.  
  
"It's about Draco.." Seamus interrupted before Harry could finish.  
  
"What a surprise, what's not about Draco that's what I'd like to know. Wait a minute did you just call him Draco?" Seamus asked.  
  
"Yes," Harry said walking from one end of the room to the other, his hands twisting nervously. "That's what I wanted to talk to you guys about. Draco and I talked last night. We decided to put away this rivalry of ours, we've both grown tired of it. We're going to try to get to know each other, maybe eventually become friends. We thought that maybe we could make it a double date today, so we could all get to know each other a little better."  
  
Seamus just stared at him, while Dean's face lit with a smile.  
  
"That's great Harry, I was thinking that if Draco and I started dating then it would be good if Seamus and him got along since he's my best  
  
friend."  
  
Seamus stood up finally able to speak. "But it's Draco Malfoy and your Harry Potter. You can't be friends it's just not natural. I mean this  
  
is Draco Malfoy, he's evil!"  
  
Both Harry and Dean rolled their eyes.  
  
"He is not evil. He's pompous, arrogant, snobby, vain, and mean sometimes. But he's hardly evil. If that were the criteria for evil, half  
  
of Hogwarts would qualify. He's seventeen years old for Merlin's sake! You sound just like Ron." Harry said exasperated.  
  
"Look it's just, I... If you want to be friends with him that's your business." He turned to Dean "and if you want to..to date him that's also your business. Just don't expect me to be Malfoy's biggest fan all of a sudden," he said with a frown sitting down on the bed. Both Dean and Harry smiled. "Great it's a date."  
  
Later that night Harry was sitting in the common room doing his Dark Arts homework when he heard a harsh whisper.  
  
"Ron go do it, right now!"  
  
"All right, all right I'm going," Ron said in an exasperated tone. Harry looked up to see Hermione pushing Ron towards him. Ron walked up and sat down beside him.  
  
"Hi Harry."  
  
"Um, Hi," Harry said cautiously. He was hoping that Ron wasn't mad at him anymore.  
  
"Look I just wanted to apologize. I've no right to tell you who you can be friends with, and as long as Malfoy stops insulting Hermione and me I'll try to be civil."  
  
Harry just gaped at him, unsure that he was actually hearing this.  
  
"You mean, you're not mad? You're going to try to be civil to Malfoy? Is that really you Ron? No it can't be, you must have taken polyjuice potion. Who are you really?" Harry asked, refusing to believe that this mild tempered boy was his friend Ron.  
  
"Bloody hell Harry," Ron yelled his face turning red as he stood up. "You're my best friend, I'd do anything for you, even put up with Malfoy! Besides," he said sitting down sulkily, "Hermione said I had to."  
  
At this Hermione just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. All three of them knew that Hermione was the brains of the group, she could usually talk them into doing anything by reason of superior intellect.  
  
"Sorry Ron, I know you're a great friend, but sometimes you really surprise me. I can't believe how lucky I am to have a friend that's so understanding."  
  
Both boys blushed and looked uncomfortably at this unmanly show of emotion.  
  
"So you want to play a game of chess," Ron asked trying desperately to get past the awkward moment.  
  
Harry smiled and put aside his homework.  
  
"I'd love to."  
  
Meanwhile Draco was not having such an easy time. "Look I don't see how it's any of your business who I'm friends with."  
  
"None of my business. NONE OF MY BUSINESS. Considering I'm your best friend, your only real friend to tell the truth, I think it is my  
  
business, when you decide to make a friend out of nowhere. But more importantly it's HARRY FLIPPING POTTER! You know, messy haired Gryffindor with glasses, kicks your ass at quidditch every year, has a bad hero complex, you've been Archenemies for SIX BLOODY YEARS."  
  
"Archenemies? Please. Don't be so melodramatic, you make it sound like were in a comic book," Draco said in a droll voice. It was really very  
  
amusing to see his usually calm and collected friend so out of control.  
  
"I'm not in the mood for you humorous little comments at the moment, Draco."  
  
"So you admit that it was funny."  
  
"Ahhhh. Draco if I didn't like you so much I would really hate you."  
  
"Well obviously. Now lets stop with this stating of obvious facts and this very out of character rant. I want to know what your so upset about. If I remember correctly, you were always questioning my hatred for Potter and my, what did you call it," he said tapping his finger to  
  
his lip while he looked up at the ceiling. "Oh yes, my unhealthy obsession with him. I'd think you'd be happy that we've decided to put aside our childish rivalry."  
  
"I would be if you had just stopped it there, but no, you had to go and decide to make friends with him. I mean if I decided to go and have a sex change to become a girl, because I'm a boy in case anyone was confused, and didn't tell you, wouldn't you be mad."  
  
"Er, well I would be surprised certainly, but I don't think it's quite on par with my becoming friends with Harry."  
  
"Harry!" Blaise snorted. "For Merlin's sake now your calling him Harry."  
  
"Well since were going to be friends I'd hardly think it would be appropriate to call him Potter."  
  
Blaise stopped pacing across the room and sank into the couch with a resigned air. "It's just,.. I'm your best friend, you do something huge  
  
and out of character like this without even bothering to tell me. It's like I don't even know you anymore."  
  
"Look if your worried he's going to replace you as my best friend rest assured, it's NOT going to happen. I mean he's a Gryffindor for Merlin's sake.You know that the mere thought of a self sacrificing deed triggers my gag reflex. Also he almost always beats me at quidditch, and you know I'm a terrible loser. I'm bound to be quite pissy with him for at least three days after every game. I mean were complete opposites. But as trite as the saying is it's true, opposites attract. It will definitely be a  
  
like/dislike relationship," he said with a smirk. "But Harry and I will never be as close as you and I are. Because no matter how much someone likes fighting, it's always better to have someone who shares most of the same beliefs with you." He turned back towards the mirror on the wall. "Now enough with all this moping, I have a date tonight and I need you to tell me which one makes me look more spectacular. The green conveys my Slytherin pride but the black says that I'm a sexy bad boy rebel with no regard for rules. Which do you think is better for a first date?"  
  
This is the Draco we all know and love Blaise thought with a smile.  
  
"Definitely the black."  
  
"My thoughts exactly." 


	7. Chapter seven

Chapter Seven  
  
Never befriend the oppressed unless you are prepared to take on the oppressor-Ogden Nash   
  
Harry sat next to Seamus sipping at his butterbeer. They'd all agreed to meet at the three broomsticks at 3:00. It was now 3:15 and one of their company was not there.  
  
"He's probably admiring himself in a mirror," Seamus said with disgust.  
  
"Well his mother's name is Narcissa ,so I suppose he comes by it honestly," Harry said with a chuckle.  
  
"Why Harry," said a dry voice from behind him, "you said something almost witty. That's really my forte, you should stick to what you  
  
know. After all if you didn't keep saving us all from Voldemort, then I wouldn't be able to brighten everyone's life with my witty comments. Voldemort has no sense of humor, along with a terrible fashion sense, baggy black robes are nobody's friend," he added as an after thought.  
  
"Where'd you come from Malfoy?" Seamus asked accusingly.  
  
"Well I don't know if I'm the right one to tell you this, but when a man and a women love each other, or are attracted to each other, or are just bored with nothing to do..."  
  
Seamus interrupted him before he could finish. "Very funny Malfoy, I don't even know why I asked, you probably came in the back door, your just that sort."  
  
"Although I do prefer back doors, front one's are so common you know, I actually came from the room I rented upstairs," he said with a straight face. Oh you don't like that do you my Irish boy, he thought, as he saw Seamus's face turn red. Sometimes it was just too easy to push people's buttons, but he never got tired of it.  
  
"Honestly you've been here all of two seconds and you and Seamus are already fighting, what is it with you two," Harry asked shooting an irritated look at them both.  
  
"Oh it's all in good fun Harry my boy," Draco said as he sat down beside Dean and across from Harry. "We don't really mean it. I'm sure that Seamus likes me just as much as I like him." Draco raised an eyebrow and looked at Seamus to see what his reply to this might be.  
  
A small twinkle lit in Seamus's eye. "That's true that's very true.'  
  
"So..," Draco said looking around, "who do you have to kill to get a butterbeer in this place?"  
  
The date had gone remarkably well, considering. They were all enjoying themselves and were preparing to leave when Ron came up to the table. Harry watched apprehensively as he approached the table. He knew that Ron had said he'd be civil, as had Draco, but he wasn't sure that it would hold out in reality.  
  
"Hey Harry what's up," he said sliding in beside Harry.  
  
"Nothing much really we were just about to split up. Seamus and Dean are going back to the castle and Draco and I are going to go to look at some quidditch supplies." Harry paused. "Do you want to come along?"  
  
Ron smiled. "No thanks mate, Hermione is getting a table. I just stopped by to ask you if you wanted to play a game of chess later tonight."  
  
"Sure it keeps me humble." Harry said with a mock serious face.  
  
"That it does. That it does. It's a hard job but somebody's got to do it."  
  
Ron turned and looked Malfoy squarely in the eye. "So Malfoy, how are you enjoying the day, it's pretty unusual for you to be around four Gryffindors and not a Slytherin in sight."  
  
Harry held his breath.  
  
"Well I haven't had the urge to fight the good fight, or run haphazardly into a hopeless situation wand blazing." He paused assuming an expression of thoughtfulness. "But I have to confess I believe that exposure to all this Gryffindor goodness has lessened considerably my Immediate Evil Plans. Here I was planning to tell Voldemort some  
  
vitally important strategy information, that I had secretly obtained from spying on you good ole boys, possibly kicking some puppies on the way there. But now all I think I could possibly manage is telling him that I think Mcgonnagall dies her hair, and as for the puppies I'm sure that a swat on the rump with a newspaper is the best I could do right now. Why I hardly think my fellow Slytherins will recognize me."  
  
Harry had of course stopped holding his breath around Immediate Evil Plans lest he faint from lack of air. Draco really did tend to speak in either a few words or a paragraph.  
  
Ron looked to be trying to fight a smile, disturbed that he found Malfoy funny. Which resulted in a half smiling half disgruntled face which was a very interesting sight indeed.  
  
"Yeah well I better go, see you later Harry," he said as he got up and made his way swiftly across the room.  
  
"Well that was interesting, anyone for another butter beer before we go," Draco asked.  
  
"Yeah, Seamus said, "I could definitely use a drink."  
  
The group parted just out side the three broomsticks. Seamus leaned over and gave Harry a smacking kiss on the lips. He was in a very good mood. The joy he felt at taking Dean back to the castle clearly outweighed any apprehensions that he might have had about Harry being alone with Draco. He was quite glad to see that Dean wouldn't be visiting Malfoy's room after all. Draco and Dean also exchanged a kiss. It seems a little soon for kissing considering it's their first date, Harry and Seamus both thought at the same time.  
  
After exchanging a few more words the boys headed off in separate directions.  
  
"So what are you going to get at the quidditch shop," Harry asked as they made their way down the street.  
  
"Well I was actually going to get a new snitch they have. It has different levels of difficulty. I need the practice, you see, there's this annoying little prat that always beats me. Well, almost always," Draco amended thinking of his recent victory with a smile.  
  
Harry grinned. "Really, well maybe we could practice together, none of the people I play against are challenging at all. It really gets boring after awhile. Although someone did beat me recently, but it was just a lucky catch."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes as they turned and walked down an alley. "Come on I know a shortcut."  
  
"Listen, I should have said it before, but, congratulations on the game."  
  
"Of course you should have, but you've no manners. It's always been one of your weak points."  
  
"Well all things considered I think poor manners are an excellent weak point. It beats having say, a poor ability at casting spells, or an inability to think on my feet. Somehow I doubt that my having poor manners is going to effect my fight with Voldemort at all." Harry creased his eyebrows a thoughtful expression on his face. "Unless he asks me to a dinner party."  
  
Draco smiled slightly. "So you take it for granted that your going to fight Voldemort."  
  
"Well I've already fought him three times. Not counting when I was a baby, I think inability to speak or walk or do anything but poop and drool is proof that I wasn't making any stratigized decisions, but you can't convince any one else of that."  
  
"I'm convinced,"Draco said with a smile. "If it were me I'd be saying, hey I'm seventeen years old, I think I'll let someone out of adolescence save the world by defeating the most powerful dark wizard of the century. But then I'm a sensible person, which is not an active quality in your average hero."  
  
Harry merely frowned.  
  
"Ah I've got you trapped. You're insulted that I said you're not sensible, but if you confront me about it then you'd be admitting that you think your a hero. Which as we know, is not something a hero would ever do, they're ridiculously modest along with not being sensible, and having a tendency to deflower maidens, or in your case young men.  
  
Harry turned red. "I haven't deflowered any men, young or not."  
  
"Oh so Seamus was already a connoisseur of the love that dare not speak it's name?"  
  
"I don't know if he's ever..but he and I have never," Harry suddenly realized what he was talking about, "well it's really none of your business."  
  
Draco stopped walking and put a hand on Harry's arm to stop him. "You and he have never what," Draco asked eyes narrowed.  
  
"Honestly Draco... ," Harry stopped abruptly and clutched his head.  
  
"Oh don't even think your getting out of this by claiming a headache," Draco drawled.  
  
"No it's Voldemort..," Harry whispered clutching his head.  
  
"Voldemort sends you headaches?" Draco asked skeptically.  
  
"No you idiot," Harry said through gritted teeth. "It means he's feeling a strong emotion about me, something bad usually happens when I get them."  
  
"Bad like what?" Draco asked, but his question was answered when he saw his father standing at the other end of the alley.  
  
"Well well well. It must be my lucky day," Lucius said with a chuckle. "I can kill two birds with one stone, or with one wand anyway."  
  
Both boys had already whipped out their wands and were standing to attention.  
  
"You won't be killing anything Lucius. All alone are we? If ten death eaters and Voldemort can't kill me then what makes you think you stand a chance all on your own?" Harry asked, eyebrows raised.  
  
Lucius just smiled. "That was always our problem we sent to many people and we never just killed you right away, it's a mistake I intend to fix."  
  
Lucius pointed his wand at him and shouted "Avada kedevra." Harry was used to the people trying to kill him giving him plenty of time to think of an escape, or be rescued, while they exchanged some unfriendly banter. He was so startled by this direct attack that he didn't even move.  
  
At the last second Draco stepped in front of him.  
  
Everyone froze for an instant. Then Draco slowly slumped back against Harry's chest eyes fluttering closed. Harry sank to the ground holding Draco's limp body in his arms.  
  
"How could you," Harry shouted, "he was your own son!" Was, Harry thought. Whoever would have thought that the most painful thing in my  
  
life would be speaking about Draco in the past tense. Harry sat there, his chest hurting as he stared at Draco's pale pointed face.  
  
Lucius stood there a moment, clearly shocked. "Foolish boy," he muttered and then he raised his wand up and pointed it at Harry. Harry had abandoned his wand when he caught Draco in his arms and he would never reach it in time. Just as Lucius's mouth started to form the words, a voice shouted "crucio" and Lucius bent over in pain. He looked up in shock to see who had cursed him and promptly disapparated.  
  
Harry too, was looking in shock at the person who had cast the curse. He watched dumbfounded as Draco looked up at him from his position in his lap. "What are you gawking at Potter?"  
  
"You were dead, he killed you," he said.  
  
"Of course I wasn't dead, I'm not dead now am I? I don't think it's something that you bounce back from."  
  
"But how..."  
  
"It's a spell I've been working on for years. It makes me immune to his wand. Honestly you didn't think that I would die for you did you?" Draco asked voice full of disbelief.  
  
"No of course not but... but your alive," he smiled and then frowned. "How did you do it? I mean I could use it on Voldemort that would be...that would be fantastic."  
  
"Sorry no can do," Draco said.  
  
"What do you mean? You're not going to teach it to me?" he asked in an angry voice.  
  
"I can't. It takes years of being subjected to use by the wand almost every day. Somehow I don't think you'd be able to convince Voldemort to use his wand on you that frequently and not kill you."  
  
"Probably not," Harry said dejectedly. He looked at Malfoy with a curious expression on his face. "How exactly does it work?"  
  
"I had to do a very complicated spell on myself and his wand. It wasn't easy to get to the wand and not get caught, that part alone took me two years. But after I did the spell every time magic from the wand was directed at me an amount so small it couldn't be detected would be blocked and cling to the outside of my body, eventually it covers your entire body kind of like armor. His magic can't get through his own magic. His magic was trying to hurt me and protect me at the same time and they canceled each other out." Draco suddenly broke into a smile. "Oh the look on his face. I'll never forget it."  
  
"Well, " Harry said looking down at Draco, "you should probably get up we need to tell Dumbledore what happened."  
  
Draco seemed to realize for the first time that his head was in Harry's lap. He quickly got up brushing the dirt off his robes.  
  
"I don't see why we have to tell Dumbledore."  
  
Harry looked at him and said in a dry voice. "Well we made a deal that every time a death eater tries to kill me, I should tell him about it."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Come on then lets go."  
  
As they walked back towards the school Harry turned to Draco.  
  
"It's a good thing that the spell was complete, how long has it been working for?"  
  
Draco wasn't about to tell him that he hadn't known it was working until today. "It's been working since after he broke my ribs that was the last bit  
  
it needed to be completed. Afterwards I glowed blue for a second, that's how you know it's complete," he lied.  
  
"Well lucky for me I guess," Harry said with a smile.  
  
"Yes, very lucky." 


	8. Chapter eight

Chapter Eight  
  
I don't believe you! flowers are weak creatures. they are naive. They reassure themselves as best as they can. They believe that their thorns are terrible weapons..   
  
The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And it is not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to to so much trouble to grow thorns that are never any use to them? Is the warfare between the sheep and the flowers not important? Is this not of more consequence than a fat red-faced gentleman's sums? And if I know-I, myself one flower which is unique in the world, which grows nowhere but on my planet, but which one sheep can destroy in a single bite some morning, without even noticing what he is doing-Oh! You think that is not important!   
  
His face turned from white to red as he continued:   
  
If some one loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to himself: Somewhere, my flower is there..' But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all his stars will be darkened... And you think that is not important!   
  
I did not know what to say to him. I felt awkward and blundering. I did not know how I could reach him, where I could overtake him and go on hand in hand with him once more.   
  
It is such a secret place, the land of tears.   
  
-The Little Prince, Antoine Saint Exupery-  
  
The meeting with Dumbledore went well. He made them both promise that they would not go to Hogsmede until he could make it more secure. He did not seem at all surprised to see Draco there. He had kept a very serious expression on his face but there was a definite twinkle in his eye when he heard about the spell Draco had done and the 'Blue light.'   
  
The next day at breakfast Draco was talking to Blaise about quidditch when he saw an owl swooping down towards the table. He stopped mid sentence as it settled down in front of him. He recognized the owl, it was his father's. He thought about the emancipation papers he had sent weeks ago with his owl Ambrose.  
  
He slowly stood up and looked down at the top of the box the owl had brought. It was black and about a foot high and a foot long. Blaise said something to him, but he couldn't hear over the buzzing in his ears. He ever so slowly unwrapped the blood red ribbon that held the card in place, not caring that everyone was watching not knowing that the whole room had gone silent. He looked at the card, this little innocent piece of paper, this insignificant little thing, and he trembled. He did not want to know what it said, he feared he knew already, but he had to know. He opened it slowly and read it through carefully  
  
Draco,  
  
I was quite surprised at your little display yesterday, of course I quickly figured out what you had done. You always were a clever little thing. Of course it changes nothing, I can still hurt you anytime I want. That spell of yours doesn't turn away steel, and it won't save you if I decide to choke the life out of you with my bare hands. But just  
  
because I cannot hurt you with magic directly, doesn't mean I can't hurt you with magic. Just because I can't kill you with magic doesn't mean I can't kill other things with magic. I always taught you to take care of the things you own. That was one of the many lessons I taught you that you apparently failed to learn. I hope you enjoy your present, I know your birthday's not for a week or two ( yes I do know your birthday, I am your father after all), well a present's never too early I say. Your mother sends her extreme disappointment that you were ever born and her disgust at all that you are, Sincerely Lucius Malfoy   
  
Draco stood there looking at the letter long after he had finished reading it. His chest was tingling and he felt dizzy. He thought of the day he had found Ambrose when he was nine years old. He had found her in the woods near his house lying with a broken wing on the forest floor. As he picked her up she had tried to bite him even with her wing broken. He had admired her spirit. He'd taken her home and nursed her in secret, knowing that his parents would make him get rid of her if they found out. After her wing had healed he had expected her to fly away and leave him. But she'd stayed. He had never had a pet before and this one was a secret, she was all his. He could tell her anything without fear. He didn't have to think about his words carefully before speaking as he'd had to with everyone else, even at nine years old. She always listened and she couldn't talk back, and she was his first real friend. He felt a tear roll down his cheek as he slowly slid off the top of the box. He saw the bloody head detached and laying on top of the pile of torn and burnt flesh that had once been her body. He carefully brushed his finger down the top of her head like he used to do, just barely brushing her as if he was afraid he'd hurt her. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Blaise looking in the box.  
  
"Merlin Draco, is that Ambrose?"  
  
Draco slowly put the lid back on the box. "It was," he said unknowingly sharing a hatred of the past tense with Harry. He looked up, seeing Harry walking towards him.  
  
"Draco what's wrong," Harry asked as he reached the table, his gaze taking in the covered box and the wet trail running down Draco's cheek.  
  
"What's wrong? Draco said softly. "All my stars are darkened," he said as he picked up the box and walked slowly out of the cafeteria.   
  
Harry was talking with Ron when out of the corner of his eye he saw someone stand up at the Slytherin table. He looked over and saw Draco standing staring at a box like it held death itself. He was not the only one who noticed, indeed everyone had turned to stare at Draco as he stood looking at the box. Everyone watched as he slowly untied a red ribbon and extracted a small white card. He stood and stared at it for longer than he had at the box, and a tear ran down his cheek. He opened up the box and stuck a finger inside to stroke something. Harry got up and quickly walked over to the table wanting to know what had upset Draco so much. When he was a few feet from the table he heard Blaise say "Merlin is that Ambrose," and Draco answer, "It was," before shutting the box. Harry reached the table and looked at the closed box and the wet little trail running down his cheek; that was all that remained of the tear that Harry had seen roll down it from across the room.  
  
"Draco what's wrong," Harry asked  
  
"What's wrong," Draco said in a quiet voice, his eyes filled with misery. "All my stars are darkened ," he said taking his box and walking slowly out of the room.   
  
Harry turned to Blaise. "What's going on? Who is Ambrose?"  
  
Blaise ignored him walking quickly out of the room after Draco. Harry caught up with him just outside the cafeteria. "I asked you a question Zabini," he said as he grabbed the other boys arm and whipped him around.  
  
"Mind your own business Potter and take your hand off of me," he said in an icy voice.  
  
"I will as soon as you tell me what was in the box. I'm his friend too."  
  
Blaise looked at the hand on his arm until Harry removed it. He straightened slowly.   
  
"It was his owl, Ambrose, she was his only pet. He found her when he was nine in the forest with a broken wing. He spent weeks nursing her back to health," he said in a flat voice. "His dad cut off her head and by the looks of it he tortured her. Now if you don't mind I'm going to go find Draco," he said turning and walking swiftly down a hallway.  
  
Harry stood there not knowing what to do. He wanted to find Draco and comfort him but he didn't know what he would say even if he could find him. He knew from experience that if you wanted to stay hidden in this castle, there were a million places you could go where no one could find you. Unless he thought, unless someone had a map that showed the location of everybody in the school. He ran quickly up to his room and found the map. It showed Draco near the edge of the map by the  
  
forbidden forest. He ran out of the school and towards the forest without thinking about what he was going to say. As a result when he finally found Draco sitting by a hole in the ground he just stood there. He watched as Draco slowly lowered his owl into the hole and filled it back up with dirt. He gave it a few pats and then turned around to look at Harry.  
  
"How did you find me?"  
  
"Well..I have a map that shows the location of everyone on the school grounds."  
  
"Really," Draco said in an uninterested voice.  
  
"Yeah well I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Blaise told me about your owl."  
  
"Did he really? I suppose you think that I'm foolish to be this upset about an owl." Draco turned his tear stained face away to look off into the distance.  
  
"Of course not," Harry said sitting down beside him. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost Hedwig." Harry watched as tears rolled down Draco's cheeks.  
  
"I just can't believe she's gone, and it's all my fault I should never have sent her." He pounded his fist against the ground, as he laid his head on his bent knees.  
  
Harry tentatively laid a hand on Draco's back stroking it softly. "It's not your fault it's your fathers he's the one that killed her and he's the only one to blame."  
  
Draco looked up at Harry with watery eyes. "She was my responsibility, I tamed her. If she'd never met me she'd be flying around in the forest. She'd be free and alive."  
  
Harry grabbed Draco's shoulders, turning Draco toward him.  
  
"That's not true, Blaise told me you found her on the forest floor with a broken wing. If she'd never met you she'd have died seven years ago. You gave her seven more years," he said as he raised his hands to Draco's face, wiping the tears off with his thumbs.  
  
Draco smiled. "I guess you're right. Thanks Harry." He laid his hand on top of Harry's that now rested on his shoulder. "You're a really great friend."  
  
Harry felt a rush of happiness when he saw Draco smile and without thinking about it gave him a hug.  
  
Draco froze for a second and then leaned into the hug resting his chin on Harry's shoulder for a moment. Draco slowly raised his head his cheek brushing Harry's. They sat, faces inches away from each other, just staring. "Thanks," Draco said again and leaned forward and brushed his lips against Harry's. Draco sat back slowly and watched to see what Harry's reaction to this might be.  
  
Thoughts rushed through Harry's head. Draco just kissed me. Draco just pressed his soft lips against mine. I want to kiss him back. I want to know what his tongue feels like sliding against mine. Harry started to lean forward to find out exactly what it felt like, when a name popped into his head. Seamus. I shouldn't be doing this I have a boyfriend. I can't hurt him like this Harry thought standing up abruptly. "I have to go," he said to Draco and bolted back towards the school.  
  
Draco sat there and watched Harry running away until he couldn't see him anymore.  
  
He hadn't thought that he could feel any worse than he had earlier but there was a sharpness in his chest and tears threatened to once again spill from his eyes. How could he just leave, how could he do that? Draco thought. He felt an anger rising up inside him and it burned the tears from his eyes. So he doesn't want me? I'm not good enough for the great Harry Potter. Well fuck him. Plenty of people want me. Draco thought. Plenty.  
  
Dean sat at the table staring at the letter in his hand.  
  
Dean,  
  
Meet me in the astronomy tower at eight.  
  
Draco Malfoy  
  
Dean knew what the note meant, there was only one reason that you met someone there.  
  
He thought of Draco and his pale lithe body and those gray eyes of his that held promises of forbidden things. He thought of all the reasons he shouldn't. What would he think if he found out? He glanced down the table and saw that he had also gotten a note. He frowned and clenched his fist. He had a boyfriend and was certainly too busy with him to give Dean a second thought. He flashed back to when he had come in and seen him laying naked on Harry's bed. Why can't I have someone? Why can't I have a little pleasure in my life, he thought. He looked down at the note. I can, he thought, crushing his hand into a fist, and I will.  
  
Harry sat down by the lake watching the wind blow rippling patterns onto the water. He liked Seamus, but he didn't love him. He certainly never felt the same intensity with him as he felt for Draco. Maybe it was time to end it. They'd kind of drifted apart in the last few weeks, and Harry knew that it wasn't just him. Seamus had seemed distracted with something. Maybe he'll be just as relieved as I am to end it. Maybe they could still be friends. He decided that he would tell Seamus tonight. But not in the dorm in case Seamus was really upset about it. He stood up and took one last look at the rippling pond. He bent down and picked up a stone. He turned sideways and threw it. It made a disheartening plop. He never had been able to skip stones. He watched as little circles spread out and out until they touched the edge of the pond. It was amazing what kind of affect the little stone had. It seemed as if it would go on rippling forever if it had the room. He picked up his books and made his way slowly to the owlry to write a short note .  
  
Seamus,  
  
Meet me in the astronomy tower tonight at nine o'clock. We need to talk,  
  
See you then, Harry   
  
Harry smiled as he watched the owl fly away. He would get this resolved tonight and tomorrow he would go see Draco. Draco would probably be a little miffed with him at first, for running off on him like that, but Harry was sure he could put him in a better mood.   
  
Seamus looked up in surprise as an owl swooped down and landed on the table in front of him. He untied the note from its ankle and gave it a little piece of bacon. He read the note and frowned. We need to talk, that didn't sound good. He turned at the sound of the deep husky laugh that he knew so well.. He watched a smile break over Dean's face and saw the small dimple that he was so embarrassed about. He'd always wanted to trace it with his finger. He turned quickly away from Dean. Yes, Harry, he thought, we definitely have to talk. 


	9. Chapter nine

Chapter Nine  
  
The wind is tossing the lilacs,   
  
The new leaves laugh in the sun,   
  
And the petals fall on the orchard wall,   
  
But for me the spring is done.   
  
Beneath the apple blossoms   
  
I go a wintry way,   
  
For love that smiled in April   
  
Is false to me in May.  
  
May by Sara Teasdale  
  
Draco sat on the window seat looking at the stars. He turned at the sound of the door creaking and watched as Dean walked into the room. He hesitated a moment before turning and shutting the door firmly. He walked over to the window seat and sat beside Draco.  
  
"I wasn't sure you would come," Draco said still looking out the window.  
  
"I wasn't sure I would either, I almost turned back once."  
  
Draco turned to look at him. "Why did you come?"  
  
"The same reason you did."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow. "What would that be?"  
  
"Because I won't wait around forever for something that's not going to happen. They don't see us, only each other. I came to offer comfort and receive it as I'm sure you did."  
  
Draco sighed. There would be no deception here. Only solace. "And do you think we'll achieve it," Draco said in a wistful tone, "comfort I mean?"  
  
"It can't hurt to try, and it's better than doing nothing. Better than pining away after men who don't want us," Dean said his voice full of anger.  
  
Draco felt his own anger rise. Malfoy's didn't pine. He was worth ten of Harry. The thought that he had actually been pining after that.... Gryffindor made him feel sick. "My sentiments exactly. Now I think we can find a better things to do with our time than talk about them. I'm sure they don't talk about us when there alone."  
  
Dean remembered Seamus sprawled naked on Harry's bed. "No I'm sure they don't," he answered, grabbing Draco and crushing their lips together. He broke the kiss and looked him in the eye. "Help me forget," he said frantically.  
  
Draco thought of the pain he'd felt, watching Harry walk away, and leave him laying there on the grass. "Yes. Let's forget."  
  
Harry ran into Seamus just down the hall from the astronomy tower. "Well," he said with a grin, "fancy meeting you here."  
  
Seamus grinned for a moment then his face took on a more serious expression.  
  
"Harry I know you said you had to tell me something, but I have something to tell you too."  
  
Harry swallowed hard as they reached the closed door of the astronomy tower. He hoped Seamus wasn't about to declare his undying love or anything like that.  
  
Harry stopped his hand on the knob when he heard a moan. He turned to Seamus. "Looks like it's occupied. I guess we'll have to talk out here."  
  
Seamus grinned as another moan came from the room. "I suggest we move a little bit away from the door. So we don't get distracted."  
  
Harry heard a muffled voice yell, "Merlin!"  
  
"Yeah those two are really going at it, at least I think it's only two. However many they sound like there having fun."  
  
They walked down the hall a bit and sat on the floor.  
  
"I know you wanted to talk to me about something Harry, but I think it's best if I say this right way."  
  
Harry nodded slowly. "Alright if you think it's best." Harry steeled himself. He could picture it in his head. Harry I love you I never thought I'd feel this strongly about anyone. I don't think I could survive without you, imaginary Seamus said in Harry's head.  
  
Meanwhile the real Seamus said. "Harry I think we should break up."  
  
Harry sat there a moment his mouth hanging open, before bursting out laughing.  
  
Seamus frowned. "I don't see what's funny about it, I'm serious."  
  
"I know, I know," Harry said unsuccessfully trying to suppress his chuckles. "It's just here I thought you were about to confess your undying love, and you break up with me."  
  
At this Seamus's face took on a melancholy expression."Harry, I'm sorry, your a really great guy and I'm sure you'll find somebody who loves you like you deserve. It's just I..."  
  
Harry interrupted him. "No, no, I wasn't hoping you were in love with me. I was actually dreading it. You see I was going to break up with you."  
  
Seamus was torn for a minute between happiness and anger. His vanity didn't like the fact that Harry had dreaded the thought of him being in love with him. On the other hand, he was glad that there would be no tearful breakup. He was glad that they could stay friends, so happiness won out.  
  
"That's great I was really afraid I'd lose you as a friend."  
  
"So was I," Harry said with a smile.  
  
"So just out of curiosity why did you decide to break up with me?"  
  
"Well I like someone else." Harry let out a nervous breath. "It's Draco."  
  
Seamus didn't look nearly as surprised as Harry had thought he would be. "Well that's great, the reason I was going to break up with you was that I like Dean. I was really worried that he and Draco had gotten closer and that I might have lost him. But if you like Draco than he probably likes you, so it all works out," he finished with a grin.  
  
"Yeah I guess your right it does all work out," he said as they both got up.  
  
"Well I suppose we should be getting back to our room," Seamus said. He glanced down the hall. "Unless.."  
  
Harry followed his gaze. "No we can't, we shouldn't."  
  
"Oh come on Harry aren't you at all curious," Seamus asked with a grin.  
  
Harry struggled internally for a moment, but in the end the fact that he was a teenage boy and only human won out. "Alright let's do it, but only a peek, and we have to be quiet."  
  
They snuck quietly down the hall and listened at the door for a moment.  
  
They heard a low moan followed by a sharp intake of breath."Sounds like they've just finished we better hurry,"Seamus whispered. They crouched  
  
down in a squat by the door and slowly opened it. At first all they saw was two pairs of legs one dark and one light. They opened the door wider and saw the pale boy draw out of the other boy and flop back on his back. The movement made his face visible and Harry stood up so abruptly that the door crashed open. Both boys turned at the noise and stared at the boys in the doorway. Dean with a kind of unbelieving horror and Draco with a look of satisfaction  
  
Seamus was the first to speak.  
  
"Dean? I..what are you doing? How could you?"  
  
Dean just sat there for a minute clearly stunned by there sudden appearance. "How could I..., why shouldn't I," He said angrily. "I don't go around  
  
chastising you for what you do with Harry."  
  
"We've never.. and I was going to..But I'm too late aren't I," Seamus said tears filling his eyes as he rushed out of the room.  
  
Dean was torn, he knew he hadn't done anything wrong, but the look on Seamus's face was.. heartbreaking. He quickly got up and put his clothes on. He seemed to remember Draco for the first time.  
  
"Draco that was fantastic and I know it's rude but.."  
  
Draco waved a hand at him from his languid position on the floor, his eyes had yet to leave Harry's. "Go ahead I understand."  
  
"Thanks," Dean said as he rushed out of the room.  
  
"What are you staring at Potter, regretting passing this up earlier?"  
  
Harry just looked at him. He couldn't believe this was happening, he just couldn't believe it. "But you kissed me," he said his voice soft.  
  
"Yes I kissed you," Draco said furiously, as he stood up. "Then you left, you just turned and walked away from me. I put myself out there and you smacked me down." He quickly pulled his clothes on while Harry stood there.  
  
Harry didn't understand how things had gone this wrong, he had never thought that Draco would do this. Never thought that he would hurt him like this.  
  
Draco finished pulling on his clothes and walked toward him. "Do you know why I stopped hating you Potter?" Draco asked angrily.  
  
Harry flinched when he said Potter.  
  
"I realized that I shouldn't hate you anymore because you could no longer cause me pain. How wrong I was, that pain was nothing compared to what I felt when you walked away from me."  
  
Harry clenched his hands into fists as he walked to within inches of Draco.  
  
"Pain," Harry said his voice rising in anger. "What do you know about pain? Here I just broke up with Seamus so I could be with you, I walk in and I see you with him! Hours after you cry in my arms and kiss me like I'm something precious to you. But because I was a little afraid of the strength of my emotions and I ran away, You go and... and fuck somebody else. How could you?"  
  
"What do you mean you broke up with Seamus? he said his voice full of disbelief. "You know what, it doesn't matter," he said shaking his head. "You could have said something, anything. You could have said that you needed some time to think. You could have said that you needed to talk to Seamus. But you didn't. You just walked away, and you hurt me. You hurt me more, because I never thought you would. I thought you were the one person that would never hurt me. I can't risk being hurt like that again."  
  
He pushed past him and out the door.  
  
Harry watched him leave the room. Then he turned and punched the wall. Bruising his knuckles, hoping that the pain outside might dull the pain inside. But it didn't. 


	10. Chapter ten

Chapter Ten  
  
It is difficult to say who do you the most harm: enemies with the worst intentions or friends with the best.   
  
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton  
  
The next day at breakfast, everyone was talking about Harry and Seamus breaking up, and Seamus and Dean getting together. Most people believed that Seamus had left Harry for Dean, despite Harry's claims that it had been a mutual breakup. Both Ron and Hermione were giving Seamus the cold shoulder. However, he was so happy to finally be with Dean, that he failed to notice.  
  
"Your better off without him I say," Ron said as he shoveled food in to his mouth.  
  
"Ron's right, there are plenty of other fish in the sea," Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust at Ron's table manners, or lack thereof.  
  
"For the thousandth time, we both decided to end it. There's no need to try and make me feel better, I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth.  
  
"You don't seem fine," Hermione said looking at him through narrowed eyes. "If it's not the breakup that's making you so unhappy what is?"  
  
Just then Draco walked into the room and headed for his seat without so much as glancing at their table.  
  
"Nothing's making me unhappy, absolutely nothing," he said as he viciously stabbed his eggs with his fork.  
  
Hermione glanced from Draco to Harry, noticing the lack of their usual greeting. I wonder what's going on here, she thought. Well whatever it is I'm going to find out. Her gaze went to the Slytherin table and rested on a black haired boy sitting next to Draco, and she smiled.  
  
Blaise walked down the hall and turned into the library. Snape had had that look about him the last few days that he had come to recognize as meaning, Pop quiz. Unlike Draco, Blaise was very serious about his grades. He quickly found the book he was looking for, sat down and started to study. After a few minutes he gave up. He just couldn't get his mind off Draco. He'd come in last night smelling of sex and looking like he was torn between crying and hitting something. When Blaise had asked him what was wrong. He had replied that nothing was wrong and then proceeded to stare silently into the fire for several minutes. Blaise thought that he obviously wanted some time to himself and got up to leave. "You should be happy," Draco said just as he'd reached the foot of the stairs leading up to the dorms.  
  
"Why should I be happy," Blaise asked puzzled.  
  
"Potter and I are no longer friends, were back to being enemies, like we were always meant to be."  
  
Blaise slowly digested this piece of information. "What happened?"  
  
"Nothing. We both showed our true characters and they are incompatible."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"I mean that I proved I can't trust people and I make rash impetuous decision. He proved that he's a thoughtless bastard and keeping to his morals is more important than not hurting people. So it's done. Our freakish little friendship is over. I don't know what made me think it was possible."  
  
Blaise had just stood there silently not knowing what to say.  
  
Blaise's thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone clearing their throat.  
  
He looked up to see Hermione standing in front of his table, a determined look on her face.  
  
"Is there something I can do for you," he asked in coldly polite tone. He had never liked Hermione, not because she was muggleborn, but because she was smarter than him.  
  
"Look let's dispense with the pleasantries. I don't like you, and you don't like me, but we have to talk."  
  
"I certainly don't have to do anything." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "But just for curiosity's sake, what do you want to talk about?  
  
"It's about Harry and Draco."  
  
Blaise slowly flipped his quill over and ran his fingers down the soft feather.  
  
"What about them?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. There was something about Blaise that had always made her want to hit him. "I know they've had a fight, that much is obvious, but I want to know if you know what it was about."  
  
"If I did it would be because my friend told me in confidence and I see no reason why I would betray that to you. You after all are not my friend, or Draco's."  
  
"Thank God for small favors," she muttered. "It's true I'm not your friend or Draco's but I am Harry's and I know he's hurting. I hate to admit it but I think Malfoy's good for him," she narrowed her eyes," and Harry's good for Malfoy. If you were really his friend you'd want what's best for him and you'd help me figure out how to get them being  
  
friends again."  
  
Blaise sat back in his chair and chuckled, "If you want my help getting them back together as friends, than I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I'm not one for stupid pointless tasks. That's more of a Gryffindor trait really."  
  
Hermione gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward. "If you think that them becoming friends again is a stupid and pointless task than you obviously don't know your friend very well. Or care much for him. Which isn't that surprising considering your character." She started to turn away. She stopped when she felt long brown fingers dig  
  
into her wrist.  
  
"First of all," Blaise said through gritted teeth. "You don't know one thing about my character." He couldn't have said why, but her outright dismissal of him being worth anything at all really pissed him off, and it shouldn't have. He never cared what other people thought about him. "Second of all, If you think that when they get back together it will be as friends than you obviously don't know your friend very well."  
  
Hermione stared at her wrist where his hand held it until he let go, a small frown on his face, as if he hadn't realized that he'd taken it.  
  
"What exactly do you mean by that?"  
  
"It's obvious, to anyone with half a brain in their head." He smiled, secretly delighted in knowing something that she didn't.  
  
"Half a.." Hermione trailed off and just stared at him. She'd been called many things in her life. But no one had ever called her stupid. She felt anger rising up in her and clouding her brain like it had when she'd smacked Draco. "How dare you call me stupid!" She picked up one of his books and slammed it down on the table in front of him. Leaning forward until her face was inches from his her knuckles white as she clenched the book. "You could study in your little books every moment for the rest of your life and still never be half as intelligent as me you.. you stupid little CRETIN! Now tell me what you meant!"  
  
He stared at her flushed face and bright eyes and had the unexpected thought pop into his head that she really looked quite fetching. However, that was followed quickly by the thought that this was Hermione Granger, the smartest student in the school. She could probably hex him into the next century, and she looked in the mood to do it.  
  
He said in a calm voice, "What I meant, was that they're in love with each other."  
  
"They're...,"she turned and leaned against the table. In love she thought, Harry's in love with Draco and Draco is in love with him. She had just gotten used to their being friends, and that wasn't an easy thing for her. Now all of a sudden they're in love. She knew Draco had changed but Harry was her best friend and she didn't want to see him hurt. She knew that when he loved he loved without reservation. Those who loved him had the power to hurt him like no one else .Now the person who they had hated for the past six years. The person who had always tried to hurt Harry, had the power to crush him. She turned quickly around. "You said they loved each other right, so your saying that Draco loves Harry as much as Harry loves him."  
  
"That's what I said," he said in an aggravated tone.  
  
She looked him squarely in the eye and he didn't have any thoughts whatsoever about what she looked like. His survival instincts were telling him this was one you didn't want to mess with. "If I find out your lying to me Zabini, you'll find out just how much smarter than you I am. It will be a brief experience, I promise you."  
  
"I'm not lying, I give you my word," he said as if his word meant anything to her.  
  
She slowly sat down. "I believe you," she said, and she did for some odd reason. She took out her quill and parchment.  
  
"Now, we're two of the smartest students in the school," he looked slightly startled to hear her say this, he hadn't thought she'd known about his grades, few people did. "I'm sure we can get two boys who are in love with each other together. Have any ideas?"  
  
Blaise smiled. This is going to be very interesting he thought.  
  
"Are you sure this is going to work? Hermione asked for the thousandth time.  
  
"Look it will work, Draco needs to know that he's important to Harry. Now would you quit asking," Blaise said in an exasperated tone. A  
  
Slytherin would do this without a second thought.  
  
"Well sorry if I'm a little squeamish about cursing a bludger so it hits a player! But if anybody found out I could be...expelled." Hermione said in a tone as if she'd just said, I could be ..cut up into small pieces and then set on fire.  
  
"Well if your so worried about it we could always think of another plan."  
  
"No, I can't think of anything else and we need them to get together as soon as possible. When he's not sad, Harry's been a right wanker." Hermione said with a frown thinking of when Harry had snapped at her earlier.  
  
Blaise looked at her with a slightly amused expression . "I'd think that you'd be happy at the chance to hit Draco with a bludger."  
  
"Oh it does make it slightly easier to risk expulsion." Hermione gave a vicious little grin.  
  
"But what about you, your hurting your chances of winning the quidditch cup."  
  
Tomorrow was the final game, and it was between Slytherin and Gryffiindor.  
  
"Contrary to what your little red haired friend believes there are some things more important than quidditch," Blaise said before sneezing. "Damn this dust, why exactly did we have to meet in this little closet, there are plenty of empty rooms in this school."  
  
Hermione sighed. Honestly it would be nice to just once not have to be the brains of the operation."Because there is less of a chance of us getting caught here. No one's likely to go into an old broom closet, and you know that most students do use the empty classrooms for..  
  
things."  
  
Blaise leaned back against the wall chuckling. "Honey if your seventeen and you can't even say it, you have some serious problems."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at the general stupidity of all males. "I can say sex, I just was hesitant to say the word in a closed closet with a teenage boy. It would cause you to think about it and I really need your blood to stay in your brain. It's hard enough to have an intelligent conversation with you as it is."  
  
"Don't flatter yourself Granger, it would take a lot more than that to get me interested in you. Probably several bottles of alcohol, and some serious cosmetic surgery on your part."  
  
"Oh please all I'd have to do is let you know that you had a chance and you'd be begging me for it."  
  
"I'd be begging you to leave me alone."  
  
Hermione smiled. "You know you are rather amusing, who ever knew that Slytherins were such humorous people."  
  
"There not in general."  
  
"Oh so your special are you?" She took a step closer to him, which seeing as they were in a closet brought them very close together. "You know you have always interested me, Draco Malfoy's silent little friend." He bristled when she said little. "All the times he fought with us, you always just stood to the side watching. I've always wanted to know what was going through your head. Care to.. satisfy my curiosity?" She raised her eyebrows. She had never acquired the skill of raising just one. Her facial muscles refused to cooperate.  
  
"I know what your doing."  
  
"Really.."she said brushing her body slightly against his as she reached behind him for her books. "What exactly would that be?"  
  
He felt his body tighten and had to fight to keep his voice calm. "Your trying to prove that I was lying when I said I wasn't interested. It's really very amusing to see you trying to turn me on, pathetic, but amusing."  
  
She almost believed him for a minute, but something about the way he held himself changed her mind. He seemed full of tension.  
  
"Then you won't mind if I give you a hug, to thank you for helping me try to get Harry and Draco back together."  
  
"Well I certainly don't want you to hug me, but if that's what it will take to convince you."  
  
Hermione put her books down and stepped forward putting her arms around his neck. He held lightly on to her waist keeping his body away from hers. She smiled and pressed her body against his, he quickly shoved her away.  
  
"Why Blaise was that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me. You without your alcohol and me without my cosmetic surgery, it's a miracle."  
  
Blaise gritted his teeth."So what if I'm attracted to you, you're obviously attracted to me."  
  
Hermione laughed. "Keep dreaming Zabini," she said as she turned toward the door  
  
He caught her arm and turned her slowly around pressing her back against the door. "Well it would only be fair to give me a chance to prove that you like me. I know your a very fair person."  
  
Hermione shrugged, "It would be pretty hard for you to prove I'm attracted to you, I don't manifest it in so... obvious a form."  
  
"All you have to do is not kiss me back when I kiss you and I'll believe that you aren't attracted to me."  
  
Hermione thought this over for a second, coming to the conclusion that it would be pretty easy to just stand there when he kissed her. "Alright give it your best shot."  
  
A predatory smile came over Blaise's face as he walked slowly towards her pressing her body against the door with his.  
  
She clearly felt his attraction to her once again, but this time she couldn't pull away and the feel of him pressed against her was causing her body to tingle. He slowly ran his hands down her arms and grasped them gently around her wrists. He then stepped back slightly and raised her hands above her head clasping them with his against the wall.  
  
"What are you doing," Hermione asked, she shivered despite her efforts not to.  
  
"'m just making sure we don't use our hands, all I'm going to do is kiss you."  
  
He leaned forward and she ordered herself not to respond when his lips touched hers.  
  
But he brought his face to her neck and inhaled the scent of her hair, his lips lightly brushing just under her ear. "You smell good," he whispered and pressed a kiss just there, before sliding his face back, cheek lightly brushing hers until there eyes met. "Just a kiss," he said as he leaned down and rubbed his lips languidly against hers. He nipped at her bottom lip pulling it down slightly and then ran his tongue lightly across it.  
  
She clenched her hand against his desperately trying to stop herself from kissing him back. But she wanted to feel his tongue sliding across hers, wanted to crush herself against his body. He was keeping there bodies so they were barely touching, and it was killing her.  
  
He drew back slightly and the feel of his warm breath against her mouth, and the look in his deep brown eyes drove her over the edge. She pressed her mouth to his, biting lightly on his lower lip, and plunging her tongue into his mouth.  
  
He brought their bodies together, and had to fight back a moan at the feeling when he pressed himself against her. He slid his hand slowly up her thigh and under her skirt Hermione broke the kiss. "Wait stop we can't do this," she said breathing heavily. "We both got a little carried away. But I'm certainly not going to have sex with someone I don't even like."  
  
Blaise tightened his hand on her thigh for a second and then slowly stepped back.  
  
"Your right Granger we both got a little carried away. No matter what you may think of me I don't have sex with people I don't like anymore than you do."  
  
He cleared his throat and bent to pick his books up. "Now, remember tomorrow, that I won't be able to give you a signal your going to have to actually pay attention to the game."  
  
"I think I'll be able to manage," she said drily.  
  
"Well good luck." He opened the door and left the room.  
  
Hermione gathered her books and walked out the door. Your going to have to pay attention, honestly like I wouldn't, she thought with irritation. At least I won't have to see him anymore if this plan works. I really hope it works, she thought as she made her way toward her room.  
  
Hermione sat under the bleachers, her hand sweatily gripping her wand. She watched the game with an intensity she never had before. She still however didn't find it interesting. She sat waiting and watching for the right moment. It had to be when the bludger was already going somewhat in Draco's direction. She didn't want it to be obvious that it had been cursed. She didn't have to wait long as the beaters usually aimed toward the other teams seeker, even the Gryffindors. It kept them from watching for the snitch every moment. Her eyes centered in on Ginny who had been a beater for two years. She could always be counted on to aim a bludger at the seeker as she was slightly less concerned that it would be seen as a "bad" thing than the other Gryffindors. Ginny had never really cared what other people thought. Hermione looked through her omnibinoculars smiling when she saw an evil little grin come over Ginny's face. This was it, she took a deep breath and pointed her wand at the bludger.. waiting.  
  
Draco saw the bludger coming his way and flew over a couple of feet so that it would go right past him. He then ignored it and started looking for the snitch again.  
  
Hermione pointed her wand and said a spell to make the object move slightly. She had it change direction little by little until it was headed for Draco. She hoped it would look like the wind had done it.  
  
Harry searched the sky for the snitch, pausing as he spotted Draco. He watched as the bludger got closer and closer to Draco, wondering why he wasn't moving out of it's way like he usually did. A feeling of fear rose up in him and he shouted Draco's name. Draco turned just a second too late and was unprepared when the bludger knocked in to him.  
  
Harry raced forward on his broom when he saw Draco tumble off his toward the ground.  
  
Let me get there in time please let me get there he thought as he raced down toward Draco. He got under him. catching him a few feet from the ground. The force of Draco's body hitting his sent them both to the ground. They landed on the ground with Draco on top. Harry had knocked his head hard on the ground when they landed. He was blinking his eyes slowly trying to stay conscious. "Draco are you hurt," Harry asked the Draco shaped blob above him.  
  
"Am I..."Draco sighed with exasperation, "no Harry I'm fine. Someone came along and conveniently broke my fall."  
  
"That's good," Harry said in a singsong before passing out.  
  
"Harry.. Harry what are you doing? Wake up." His voice rose and there was a thread of panic in it. He looked around quickly for Madam Pomfrey. She was usually down on the field so she could tend to their injuries. He spotted her already running towards them.  
  
She rushed up to their side coming down onto her knees. She ran her wand over Harry's head, saying a spell. A light orange light appeared in the air over Harry's head. Cursing himself for not taking medical magic classes, Draco looked at Madam Pompfrey. "What does that mean, is he going to be okay?"  
  
"I don't know, he has a severe concussion. We'll just have to wait and see how he's when he wakes up." She stood up brushing off her robes and pointed her wand a Harry. "Mobulius corpus."  
  
Draco pushed off the ground standing up quickly. He hissed in pain when he put pressure on his wrist, he hadn't even realized that he was injured. Apparently Madam Pomfrey hadn't either. She looked at him in surprise. "Let me see that wrist."  
  
"It's fine, I'm fine. Shouldn't you be getting him to the hospital wing?"he asked sharply.  
  
"I should be doing exactly as I please Mr. Malfoy. I'll stand here all day if I have to. Now let me see that wrist."  
  
Draco sighed and held up his wrist for inspection. It was swollen and turning purple.  
  
"Broken just as I thought, come with me," she said turning toward the school with Harry floating beside her. He's going to be fine, Draco  
  
thought. He has to be. 


	11. Chapter eleven

Chapter Eleven  
  
Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration."  
  
D.H Lawrence  
  
Hermione flung open the door to the infirmary, stopping a moment to catch her breath. She had ran there as fast as she could, when she had seen Madam Pomfrey float Harry off the field. She looked around and saw Draco sitting beside a bed near the back of the room. She rushed up to the bedside, looking at her friend, her best friend, lying motionless in the bed. She turned to Draco. "How is he, is he going to be okay?"  
  
Draco reached forward and touched Harry's hand lightly. "Madam Pomfrey says she doesn't know. He has a severe concussion, we have to wait until he wakes up to see....to see if his memory's been affected."  
  
Hermione gasped and leaned against the wall hand on her chest. She felt like she couldn't breathe. She thought of all the adventures they'd shared over the past six years, what if he woke up and he didn't remember any of it. It would be like she'd lost him. "I never thought he'd get hurt, I didn't mean for it to happen, It's all my fault, It's all my fault."  
  
Draco raised his head quickly. "What do you mean it's your fault."  
  
Hermione looked at him, she hadn't know that she had said that out loud. "I..."  
  
Draco stood up quickly and walked towards her. "The bludger, it shouldn't have hit me .I moved out of it's way and there was barely any  
  
wind. You....you cursed the bludger." He walked forward and gripped her shoulder with his good hand. "You did this, you hurt him." He said his hand squeezing her shoulder.  
  
She winced at the pressure, "Draco I'm sorry I never meant..."  
  
Draco felt someone grab his arm and pull him away from Hermione.  
  
"What the hell do you think you were doing Draco, you were hurting her," Blaise said angrily.  
  
Draco pulled away from Blaise. "She," he said turning back an pointing a long pale finger toward Hermione, "cursed the bludger. She's  
  
responsible for hurting Harry."  
  
"It was my idea," Blaise said quietly. Almost so quietly that Draco didn't hear him.  
  
"You? You did this to him?" Before Blaise could reply, Draco swung his good arm back and punched him. Draco looked down at his best friend  
  
lying on the floor his cheek already starting to bruise. "Why did you do it?" he asked, as Hermione rushed down to see if Blaise was okay. He watched as Hermione put a hand to Blaise's hurt cheek and asked if he was Alright. "What are you doing with her? Why did you two want to hit me with a bludger?"  
  
Hermione and Blaise both stood up quickly.  
  
"I'm not with her, we were just trying to get you to realize that Harry cares about you. We realize now that this probably wasn't the best way to do it. We never meant for anyone to get hurt, not seriously anyway. You were both miserable without each other we were just trying to help." Blaise finished lamely, hanging his head.  
  
"Just trying to help," Draco said voice filled with incredulity ."Well thanks I do realize he cares for me now, or he did. He might not even remember me when he wakes up. He might not remember anything." Draco took a step towards him shaking with fury. "How could.."  
  
But before he could finish Draco was interrupted. "Draco?"  
  
Draco whirled around coming quickly to the bedside.  
  
"Harry are you okay, do you know who I am?"  
  
Harry looked slightly perplexed. "Of course I know who you are. Is there some reason I shouldn't?"  
  
"No I just.," Draco leaned forward gripping Harry's hand until his  
  
knuckles turned white. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry about what happened with Dean. I'm sorry about everything. I care about you and I want to be with you."  
  
Harry looked at him . "No I'm sorry, I never should have left like that. I should have said something, I care about you to. I want us to be together."  
  
Suddenly both boys broke into smiles. Draco leaned forward pressing his lips to Harry's, and this time Harry kissed him back. Harry lightly slid his tongue into Draco's mouth, and their tongues met like two lover's, searching every inch of each other's bodies until they knew it as well as their own. Draco broke the kiss and rubbed his cheek against Harry's like a cat. He placed a small kiss just below Harry's ear. "I love you, you know," he whispered so just the two of them could hear. It was  
  
painful for him to say it, it felt like someone had ripped a saw out of his throat, but he could breathe now. It was a terrible kind of vulnerability, and he was not used to being vulnerable. But he'd put it out there, and even though it was agony waiting to see if Harry would say it back, there was relief. Relief that he could finally breathe. Harry pressed his cheek to Draco's reveling in the softness of it. "I love you to," he said as he put his arms around Draco pulling their bodies together.  
  
He looked up to see Hermione and Blaise standing by the bed. He took in Blaise's bruised cheek, Hermione's guilty look, and came to the logical conclusion.  
  
"Why did you punch Blaise, Hermione?" he asked clearly puzzled.  
  
"I didn't, Draco did," she said still looking down at her feet.  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
Draco looked up at Blaise. "He did something stupid and I was mad at him. But I forgive him, he meant well, and I'm happy with the result."  
  
Blaise looked relieved.  
  
They all turned as the hospital wing door opened. Ron came barging in. He looked from Hermione and Blaise who were standing awfully close, to Draco who was practically lying on top of Harry, threw his hands up in the air and said, "Bloody Hell." 


End file.
